


Like Stars in the Midnight Sky

by NoraRaye



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Anger, Angst, Awkward Flirting, Bickering, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Denial, Denial of Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eren and the New Squad are Only Minor Characters/Mentioned, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/M, Fear of Death, Grief/Mourning, Inspired by Music, Loss, Minor Original Character(s), Murder, Mutual Pining, My First Work in This Fandom, Original Character Death(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pain, Psychological Trauma, Secrets, Self-Doubt, Slow Burn, This is also my first fic in six years pls be kind, a little bit of fluff here and there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:34:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 51,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25200109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoraRaye/pseuds/NoraRaye
Summary: Piper Brunswick.Cocky, reckless, cynical and out for vengeance.She’d always been rough around the edges. Hell, she was the poster child of shady individuals mothers would warn their kids to stay away from; an assassin, a vigilante, a roguish thug, a witty bitch, a stubborn prick, name it. She’d probably been one of those- or all of those- at some point in time. And she wasn’t planning on changing her wily, wily ways.Armed with a balisong and driven by a personal vendetta, Piper was a force to be reckoned with in the crime-addled streets of Mitras, until a botched hit job forces her into being conscripted into the Survey Corps as a desperate bid to save her own skin. To make matters worse, Piper finds herself butting heads with Captain Levi, another stubborn pawn just like her in life’s wicked game, and he’s got his own fair share of tricks and surprises up his sleeve.And out of all the horribly-timed inconveniences one could ever experience in their dreadful lifetime, goddamn feelings are definitely at the top of Piper’s long list and are frankly the most stubborn to get rid of.**ON HIATUS**
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 52





	1. Prologue

_Run from it all you want,_

_but in the end,_

_death will always find a way back to you._

Supper with Squad Levi had always been relatively quiet in nature. Maybe it was the exhaustion kicking in, or perhaps it was the tension and anticipation for an upcoming operation that kept them quiet or lost in their own thoughts. Nevertheless, the silence that often prevailed was a welcoming and comforting experience, and everyone took it as an opportunity to gather their thoughts and feelings.

The only times they ever really discussed anything were during the last few evenings before crucial expeditions or dire operations; maps were laid out over the long tables, plot markers representing individual scouts or scouting units were littered across these maps, and each and every one of them present in that instance would recall each strategy, making sure that every plan of action was sound in logic, objective and reason. Occasionally, a spilled beverage would make its way through the maps and the formations, and they’d all scurry about in trying to salvage these fragile pieces of paper before the liquid seeped in and did its damage. Bittersweet times, indeed.

But today, supper with the squad had been comparatively different. There were no maps to gloss over, plot markers to place, or spilled drinks to clean up. Instead, there was silence, and even the silence that permeated the group was different in nature; it was the silence that weighed upon you, the type that suffocated you. It wasn’t the stillness that granted you the opportunity to collect your thoughts or recuperate from exhaustion. It was hollow, dreadful and gave you the itch to open all the windows just to get some air flowing in. One could say it was ominous or melancholic.

It was the night before their first expedition beyond Wall Maria since the Colossal Titan breached its fortifications six years ago. Supposedly, and if things were normal (let’s be real, nothing in this world could even be considered “normal” at this point), this evening was supposed to be spirited and ecstatic. It was one of humanity’s biggest milestones in over a hundred years; they should have all been exuberant.

Eren found himself way too occupied throughout the majority of supper, to the point that he had barely even touched his food. He had been transfixed at the empty chair and the spare cup of tea located between him and Captain Levi, and his curiosity had been steadily increasing ever since. Everyone that he knew of was present in the room, so why bother wasting a cup of tea?

 _For Commander Erwin, perhaps?_ He wondered as he stared at the steaming beverage, watching keenly as the steam levitated above before dissipating completely into the atmosphere. _No, we already held a memorial to honor him and the fallen several months back. This is something else._

Eren frustratingly ran a hand through his hair before glancing around his surroundings yet again. Everyone was grim, and no matter how many times he tried to rationalize it in his head, he couldn’t figure out why. Nothing catastrophic had occurred within the past few days or weeks; in fact, all that had ever occurred prior to this evening were accomplishments worth celebrating. It didn’t feel right for almost everyone to brood at this hour. 

Levi in particular stood out from the rest of them. He’d seemed distant- as if his presence was in that very room, but at the same time not. Moreover, the expression on his face was hollow and unreadable; Eren couldn’t quite figure out if the captain was agitated, exhausted, bored, or just the usual. 

“Captain, I was just wondering,” Eren suddenly declared, surprising even himself. “Who’s that spare seat and cup of tea for?”

_Where did that even come from? Why would you bring that up now?_

Everyone in the room was clearly taken aback by the unforeseen inquiry and were now on the edge of their seats, anticipating an answer from Levi. Eren on the other hand mentally chastised himself for the unexpected question, the embarrassment already kicking in full swing. He immediately surveyed the room once more and caught Hanji worriedly staring at Levi.

“It’s nothing.” He eventually replied as he set down his cup of tea, and Eren noticed the pained and melancholic expression that slowly replaced the unreadable facade from earlier. “It’s nothing.”

The second response was barely audible and felt more like a reassurance that the captain was muttering to himself. Hanji’s concern increased tenfold, and Jean, Sasha, and Connie began exchanging glances. It was clearly a sensitive topic to breach. 

From then on, not a single word was ever muttered or spoken during the remainder of supper, but wandering eyes and curious minds were hard to prevent. Many continued sneaking a glance at the empty seat and the steaming cup of tea, and each and every single one of them began speculating on their own for whom that enigmatic seat beside the captain was truly reserved for. 

Once everyone had finished with their supper, and certain individuals initiated cleaning up or instigated small talks, a little bit of life had finally pierced the hollowed atmosphere; however, the elephant in the room still weighed down on them, and it didn’t help that the captain was clearly in a bitter mood either. 

“You brats, don’t stay up too late, and make sure to clean up before heading off to bed.” Levi eventually stated after some time, finally rising from his seat as he made his way towards the hallway that led to their quarters. “Leave the empty seat and the cup of tea. I’ll clean it up myself tomorrow before we leave.”

With that, everyone watched in silence as he exited the mess hall, his figure vanishing into the darkness of the corridor. Hanji heaved out a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose, all the while keeping her gaze fixated on the notorious enigma. 

“Sorry about that you guys,” she mumbled, a somber smile resting on her face. “Especially to you, Eren. You know how grumpy that short little man could get.”

“Ah, it’s no big deal Hanji.” Eren eventually replied as he scooted his chair closer to the table while Mikasa and Armin proceeded to help out in cleaning the dishes. “It’s clearly a sensitive topic. I don’t know what came over me.” He’d thought that that would be the end of the controversial discussion, that it would finally be put to rest and never again mentioned, but Hanji shattered that optimistic bubble when she eagerly slammed her hands on the table, rattling the plates and the silverware that were resting on top of it.

“But, admit it, you’re all still wondering about this little mysterious seat over here.” She suddenly declared as she reached over and patted down the chair, causing Armin, Mikasa and the others to stop what they were doing and eventually glance at the chair once more. 

“I guess I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about it.” Connie wondered aloud, and Sasha eagerly nodded in pursuit; even Floch, who had been notoriously distant from the entire squad over the past few months had found himself inching closer and closer to them, curiosity and intrigue in his eyes.

“Hanji, you really don’t have to-”

“No, Eren. I’d be doing her a great disservice,” Hanji interrupted as she finally returned to her seat and primly folded her hands on top of the table. “Besides, I’m sick and tired of being the only person in the room aside from that little man to know all about _this_.” 

It was clear as day to Eren and possibly the others that Hanji was trying her best to be the optimistic and energetic individual she always was, but the significance of the cup of tea was weighing her down. _As if it was her obligation to suddenly tell us all about this, even if no one was forcing her_ , he’d thought. 

“You see, Levi wasn’t always like that- well, actually he was, if you think about it.” Hanji stammered as she tried to figure out her words before succumbing to a bit of a chuckle. “Ah you know what I mean!”

_I guess this was about to be the story of a lifetime._

“On this day, four years ago, Levi and I lost a dear friend in an expedition.” She finally stated as she had gathered her thoughts, before proceeding to gingerly tracing the rim of her teacup. “She… meant a lot to him. He’s been honoring her this way ever since.”

“No way,” Connie started as he eventually sat down, the others following in pursuit as their curiosity evidently triumphed over everything else they were doing prior to her statement. “You’re telling us just now that the captain was a chick magnet too? Or that he had a girl?”

“Connie!” Jean hissed as he tried to whack Connie with the washcloth, but the latter was too quick and swiftly dodged the rolled, semi-damp cloth. “Jeez, what if he hears you and your tactless mouth?!”

Hanji simply chuckled at the petty brawl that was slowly forming before her, grateful for the mini diversion. When the two had finally settled down, she cleared her throat once more, preparing herself for the long-forgotten memories she was about to lay out into the table, like a freshly brainstormed strategy or a sudden revelation she had discovered in one of her titan experiments.

“Her name was Piper Brunswick- rough around the edges, wit sharper than a knife and an all-around pain in the ass, but she was a pain in the ass we all came to love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance if my writing skills are hORRible, I haven’t written anything proper in the past 6 years, nor have I attempted to (school essays and research papers excluded, of course). Rest assured I am doing my absolute best in getting back to my prime when it comes to writing stories (all those research papers and sleepless nights better have paid off).
> 
> I also want to point out that this fic is heavily inspired by the songs Ribs and Dark Paradise. I’d even go as far as calling them the theme songs of this fic, if there were to be any. I also highly suggest listening to either of these songs every now and then while reading! Makes the experience 1000x better (bring tissues if you're the emotional sort like me)  
> [Ribs- Lorde](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B25PAgrFQ-k)  
> [Dark Paradise- Lana Del Rey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e97neNvxB4)  
> Lmao I tried to embed the videos but AO3 won't cooperate with me ;-;


	2. Apple of My Eye

_An apple._

_A goddamn apple was all it took._

Mitras had always been packed especially during noontime. High-profile merchants scurried from building to building, their lackeys and personal envoys following in pursuit as they chased after every “golden opportunity” that would help expand their sphere of influence or network of connections and sponsors. Noble families strode across the plaza square donned in their finest silks and jewelry, pristinely fanning their faces and complaining about the most minor of inconveniences. Privileged, stuck-up children who were oblivious to the plight of others beyond the confinement of their personal bubbles giggled and ran about, their mothers or fathers watching them amusingly. Even the Military Police was scattered about in the fray: off-duty officers were seen strolling around, eager to make it to the next bar and drink or gamble the day away while those who were on patrol brandished their rifles and kept a steady eye on the rambunctious crowd, eager to catch a reckless thief or a wanted individual trying to blend in. 

Further down the other side of the plaza was the market square where abled merchants sold their varying produce and continuously innovated and declared backhanded compliments or catchphrases as a feeble attempt to attract customers- the more flowery and wordy the compliment or catchphrase was, the higher the chance of scoring big-time customers. Varying crowds of people gathered in the market stalls to purchase fruits, vegetables, meat (if they had the coin for it), exotic delicacies or spices. It was chaotic in nature, making it the perfect opportunity to pursue a hit job.

Piper observed the commotion from a distance, keenly eyeing the visages of each and every one who had gathered in each stall. _It's amusing to watch them all step on each others’ toes just to get a glimpse at the stalls_ , but she wasn’t here for entertainment. 

_Military Police. Patchy black hair. Face always in a scowl. Limp on his right foot. Will be dropping by the apple stall at twelve o’clock._ Piper repeated to herself internally as she tried to recall the details the street urchin had relayed to her a few days back.

This hit was unlike any of the other jobs Piper had previously done. It was critical for her not to miss any of the conditions that were presented to her. Besides that, too much of the job’s nature was in the dark. She had no idea who hired her, what their intentions were, or what her target had done to gravely offend her contractor. However, she couldn’t turn down the job; it was her golden opportunity to finally secure a place back in the bustling streets of Mitras. 

_Do it right, and my boss promises to give you and your partner permanent citizenship aboveground._ The urchin said. _This is just a downpayment_.

Piper chuckled to herself as she recalled her mortified expression when the urchin flung the overflowing sacks of coins towards her. _Apparently eight solid bags of gold are considered a downpayment for some rich snobby prick out there_ , she thought.

She snuck another glance at the clock before she had noticed slight movement from the corner of her eye; Piper withdrew from the empty stall and reached out for her pocket, her hand ready to whip out the balisong that was snugly tucked inside and swipe at whoever was invading her personal space.

“Relax Pipes, it’s me,” the figure blurted as they lowered the hood of their dark cloak. Piper immediately took notice of the familiar auburn hair and deep green irises. “You’re jumpy today.”

“Who wouldn’t be?” she replied, focusing her attention back to the plaza and the clock while beginning to fiddle with the balisong inside her pocket. “This job could cost us everything.”

_Eleven fifty-five._

_Five more bloody minutes._

“Listen, Piper,” the figure started as they leaned against the opposite end of the empty stall. “This entire thing’s suspicious. Too many unknowns.”

“Tell me something I don’t already know, Julia,” Piper retorted, her patience waning thin. “If we do this right, we’ll be secured ‘til the day we die. No more bloody hit jobs. No more smuggling rings. No more drug runs-”

“You know that’s a lie,” Julia responded as she too began eyeing the crowd. “I know you too well. You’re too angry to settle down.”

She was right. _Too damn right_. She wasn’t planning on stopping anytime soon or finally putting down her blade once and for all.

_Not until those privileged scum burn in the pits of hell._

“Besides, a life of peace and quiet? You’ve gotta be kidding me. That’s boring, Piper.” 

_You know me too well, indeed,_ Piper thought as the corners of her mouth twitched to form the faintest smile, causing Julia to easen up a bit. 

“Just, don’t be reckless,” Julia finally added as the bells rang and echoed, signalling the new hour. “Hell, can we skip the whole ‘grab an apple too so my boss can pinpoint where you are’ bit? We’re literally about to knife someone. Aren’t we supposed to, you know, keep it mellow?”

“That little urchin said it’s so he can give us the rest of the payment later on. Can’t blame these snobs for struggling to navigate the Underground. ” Piper replied as she drew out the balisong, the bright rays of the sun glinting against its silver blade. “I don’t like it either, but it seems like we don’t have a choice. Just make sure to keep your hood up; don’t want to risk bystanders being able to identify us.”

The two of them mentally rehearsed the plan as they carefully weaved their way through the crowded plaza. Surprisingly, it seemed as if the crowd that had gathered there doubled in size during the five minutes that they had spent semi-arguing. Beads of sweat had started to trickle down Piper’s temple, the dark scarf covering her face and her hair contributing the most to the heat she was experiencing, besides the overcrowded plaza they were trying to navigate. Even her hands began to clam up; she silently swore under her breath when her balisong nearly slipped out of her steady grip.

Julia’s unease was noticeable, even through her dark cloak. Between the two of them, Julia was always the jumpy one. Sure, she’s seen her fair share of death, but it never seemed to have numbed her completely. Don’t get her wrong, she never felt remorse for the bastards she helped kill, but the notion of blood all over the place and all over her hands still sickened her. 

“Don’t worry too much. This’ll be a quick job. Not like the previous ones.” Piper remarked as they finally reached the apple stall. As stated by the urchin, there was their target, only a few meters away from where Piper stood.

Piper subtly nodded to Julia as she brandished her blade and slowly approached the officer as he began to sniff one of the apples he was holding. Behind him, Julia positioned herself, carefully drawing out her own knife as she tried to block the man’s exit point.

“Today’s apples are really fragrant, don’t you think?” The man declared, glancing at Piper. Piper quickly stared at her vicinity, confused and taken aback by the sudden attempt at conversation.

_Now this wasn’t part of the plan._

“I guess they are,” she replied coolly, eyeing the crowd before her. The crowd was rapidly increasing; the officers off-duty and on patrol were nowhere to be found. _Probably blocked by all these stupid people_. “But I was never really a big fan of apples myself.”

The officer chuckled heartily, and Piper gripped her blade harder. Behind him, she could see Julia visibly getting more nervous, the hand grasping her blade starting to tremble. 

_Something’s wrong_ , Piper thought as she cautiously approached the man, closing off the remaining space they had between them earlier. _But fuck it, anything for that stupid piece of paper that’ll let us live here for good._

“Ah, well, I’m sure you’ll change your mind after taking a whiff of this one.” The man handed Piper the apple he had previously sniffed, and she took it with her free hand.

_Don’t overthink it, maybe he’s just those overly talkative types._

“Too bad. That’s probably going to be the last apple you’ll sniff in your life.” Piper icily stated as she drew out the balisong and hastily swiped at where the officer’s neck would have been at that moment.

If life wasn’t a complete joke, the job would have been done right there and then, and Piper and Julia would have used the dispersing crowd as cover to escape underground.

_But life’s a piece of shit. An utter piece of shit that won’t give me a goddamn break for once. Yay me._

The officer swiftly dodged the blade and stepped back as if he were expecting the attack in the first place. From afar, several gunshots were heard and green flares soared up the sky; the familiar grinding of wire against steel mechanisms resonated in the air as the crowd panicked and scattered. 

Julia panicked and made a run for it, but the two burly men behind her grabbed her and harshly pinned her to the ground. The missing officers Piper had been trying to spot in the crowd earlier finally reemerged with reinforcements, their rifles drawn and pointed towards them. 

_Don’t be reckless_. Julia’s words echoed in the back of her mind as Piper mentally chastised herself. _Bravo, for doing the complete opposite of what Julia was asking earlier_. 

“You were saying, Piper?” The officer mocked as he dusted his uniform and placed the other apple he was holding back to the pile on the stall. It was only then that Piper realized that the apple stall had no merchant manning it, and neither were the two stalls beside it. 

_This was a fucking set-up._

The officer swiftly kicked Piper’s hand, her balisong flying out of her grasp and skidding across the cobblestone. Piper tried to charge towards the man, but he was too quick for her, and she lost her balance and fell. Two other officers swiftly emerged from the fray and helped pin her to the ground, their knees agonizingly digging through her back and her arms. 

“Piper Brunswick!” One of the officers from afar called out as he slowly approached. “ _Butcher of Mitras_. My, you’ve grown sloppy!”

Piper grunted as the officer on top of her forcefully shoved his knee further down her back, her pinned down arms already growing numb from the lack of blood flow. The approaching officer finally stopped and knelt in front of her, his condescending eyes mockingly begging for a fight.

“Not so much of a butcher now, huh Brunswick?” 

“Nile, is that really necessary?” The officer on top of her questioned, his tone growing increasingly agitated. Piper tried to squirm from underneath him but ended up getting another jab to her back with his knee. “This gutter trash nearly cut my neck mere seconds ago. I don’t think it’s wise to rile her up.”

“I guess you’re right.” Nile wondered as he paced back and forth, pondering his next move. “Say Piper, how would you prefer to go? Strapped to a carriage and paraded around the city like the queen you truly are, or hung and displayed in the capital for the whole world to see?”

 _You fucking bastard._

Piper didn’t respond and merely glared at him. A smirk weaved its way through Nile’s previously scowling face as he propped her head up. “Did I hit a nerve there? Too soon?”

“Eat shit.” Piper quipped as she spat on his face, the wet drizzle dripping down his face as he cursed and proceeded to slam his boot down to her face, full-force. Bright white and red spots filled Piper’s vision and the taste of iron surfaced in her mouth. The muscles in her face began to throb, and sharp bouts of pain began to pulsate through them. Upon momentarily gaining her sight, she noticed the fresh drops of blood that splattered against the cobblestone, their deep crimson blotches contrasting against the light grey of the rough stone. Nile inevitably grew impatient and made his way over to Julia who was violently thrashing against the grip of the other two soldiers. 

“Hartmann. Now what am I to do with you?” he wondered aloud as he propped Julia’s head up with the tip of his blood-smeared boot; Julia didn’t respond either and simply looked away, already fearing the inevitable. Even Piper knew it, and the abyss in her stomach was rapidly growing. 

_I should have paid more attention. Even a toddler could’ve figured out that this was a set-up from the very beginning_. 

From a distance, Piper took note of a carriage stopping. Two cloaked soldiers exited the carriage and made their way towards the direction of the scuffle; Nile immediately cursed under his breath and quickly got up, half-jogging to intercept the two foreign soldiers. 

“What’s going on here?” One of the soldiers questioned as he steadily approached them. Nile clicked his tongue in frustration and brashly intercepted the intruder, nearly throwing him to the side had it not been for his companion who helped steady the two of them.

“Erwin for the love of god and all things mighty, go back to where you came from! This is Military Police business. This has nothing to do with you!” Nile half-yelled, growing visibly frustrated by the minute. The man he was talking to- Erwin- nodded to his companion and handed him the stack of papers he was holding. As if ignoring Nile’s previous declaration, he slowly made his way towards Piper and Julia, his maneuver gear rattling with every step he took. 

“Did you hear me Erwin? Take your ragtag group and go back to where you came from! This has nothing to do with you!” 

_Is this fucker deaf?_

“Believe it or not Nile, I’d love to go back to where I came from,” Erwin remarked as he crouched in front of Piper, his blue eyes seemingly glinting in fascination from under his dark green cloak. “But you’re blocking our way.”

Piper grimaced at the high-pitched sound of the whirring of maneuver gear as more green-cloaked soldiers arrived at the fray. Based on the disdain etched in Nile’s face, these were clearly not reinforcements he called for, and for that, she felt a slight bit of comfort. 

“It’s been a pretty long morning, _Butcher_ ,” Erwin stated as he cautiously eyed Piper, the foreign glint in his rich, blue eyes still not waning. “So why don’t you refresh my memory and tell me your name?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You good over there? I hope you're good.
> 
> [I also have this pretty empty tumblr you could check out if you want.](https://noraraye.tumblr.com/) It's mostly gonna be my writing/multifandom trashbin where I'll be posting updates about this every now and then or just geek out and ramble over other things.
> 
> See you in the next!


	3. Golden Opportunity

_Don’t be reckless._

The words Julia uttered to her moments ago were stuck in a never-ending loop in her mind like a broken record, constantly reminding her of her recklessness and tendencies to be blinded by ambition. She could see it in Julia’s emerald eyes too- that gaze of acknowledgment and disappointment, knowing all too well that it was through Piper’s inability to read the room and spot the red flags in the stupid job that was sending them to their guaranteed deaths. 

The promise of citizenship and a good life once and for all had blinded her sense of rationality, and Piper felt pathetic about it. _To think that all it would take for these entitled bastards to catch a murderer is to dangle a false promise of gold and luxury- fucking pathetic_.

Piper eventually tore her gaze away from the ground to face Erwin, who still had that foreign glint of fascination and recognition in his sapphire eyes. She cautiously watched as he paced back and forth between her and Julia, the rattle of his maneuver gear serving as the only noise that pierced the thickened atmosphere. After an eternity of aimless pacing, Erwin knelt before Piper once again, the intensity in his stare capable of burning holes on her forehead.

“Your reputation precedes you,” he remarked fascinatingly as he picked up her balisong that had been discarded to the side of the pavement before opening it with precision and ease before her. “The amount of bodies and casualties you’ve racked up over the past couple of years is truly remarkable.” 

_As do you_ , Piper thought as she took note of the insignia emblazoned on their rich green cloaks, realization dawning upon her like a thick blanket.

_The Wings of Freedom. A symbol for humanity’s courage; the vanguard of hope amidst these troubling times._

_What business does the Survey Corps have within the innermost wall anyways?_

“So you’ve heard of us?” Julia questioned as she continued to squirm underneath the officer that was pinning her down. Erwin took note of this and waved a hand at the officer that had been straddling her down, causing him to release her before another one of his soldiers came in to sit her up and bind her arms behind her back. 

“Piper Brunswick. The infamous ‘Butcher of Mitras’; a cold-blooded murderer of the nobles and officers in this district,” he declared curtly as he stared at Piper’s blade in admiration before immediately closing it and tucking it away in what appeared to be his coat pocket. “And Julia Hartmann, notorious thief, smuggler and henchman to the Butcher. The chaos and fear that you’ve both planted in the streets of Mitras are quite telling of your skills and capabilities.”

 _What, are you here just to gawk over us before we’re sent to our deaths? You’re fucking deluded_ , Piper wanted to say in response, but the words never came out of her mouth. Instead, she simply focused her gaze towards Nile and his group who were approaching them, their rifles still aggressively brandished. At this point, Nile’s irritation was clear as day, and he was evidently sick and tired of whatever game Erwin was playing at that moment.

“Let the Military Police handle this, Erwin,” he snapped through gritted teeth, irked to the bone that this operation was taking its own wicked twists and turns. “Just hand them over to us, so we can punish them for their crimes. These vile miscreants do not deserve to see the light of day!”

“Oh, big words from you, Nile,” Piper found herself scoffing as she tried to stifle a laugh. “I always thought you were just a walking lump of meat. Good to know you’ve still got a brain that’s not swimming in booze like your buffoons over there.” Why she even bothered picking on Nile especially at that moment, she never really understood, but Julia found herself smirking at the impromptu quip.

“What did you say you little bitch-”

“That’s enough from both of you.” Erwin interrupted as he motioned yet again for one of his companions to prevent Nile from further approaching the fray. “Let me talk to them for a bit, and then I’ll hand them over to you.”

 _He’s lying_. Piper could tell through the glint in his eyes and the tension that had manifested itself on his broad shoulders. Why he was still so keen on getting to know them and possibly preventing the Military Police from taking them was still a mystery to her. Erwin eventually turned his attention back to Piper, his unwavering composure chilling her to the bone.

“You are aware of the gravity of your crimes, are you not?” He started, each word leaving his mouth laced with dread and ominosity. “Numerous accounts of murder, manslaughter, theft, robbery, smuggling and much more- these are all capital crimes punishable by death. The chances of both of you making it out alive are little to none.”

Julia’s eyes were downcast once more as Erwin reiterated their impending deaths. Piper didn’t want to show it- hell, she didn’t even want to admit it to herself- but the prospect of death terrified her. Moreso, it was the method of dying that she’d feared the most. She’d remembered the bloodied faces of her fallen friends in the past, helpless as justice struck down upon them mercilessly.

The blond, brotherly man’s blood-curdling screams as he was strapped to a carriage and helplessly dragged around Mitras, the stones coupled with the uneven terrain and the speed of the horses doing their work and leaving him a bloodied, broken corpse beyond recognition that was left in the open for the flies and the vultures to feast on…

The stoic, lean man’s body, dangling aimlessly by a noose around his neck on the arc of the royal family’s castle, a horrific display and reminder for the people of the walls to see…

_They’ll never understand the pain of having to witness it all._

It all came surging back to Piper, and it gave her the need to retch. Piper fought back against the dreadful urge and the wave of nausea that had stricken her, adamant in maintaining her composure just like the man before her. _Stand your ground, never falter._

“What do you want?” Piper questioned as she looked him in the eye, silently praying to herself that he hadn’t noticed her brief moment of weakness. 

“Your cooperation,” he simply replied, causing Nile in the back to let out a disapproving huff. “I have a proposition for both of you that I’m sure you’d be interested in hearing.”

“Erwin! What do you think you’re-”

“I’m giving you the chance to redeem yourselves. Lend me your strength and join the Survey Corps.” He explained bluntly. “It’s a fresh start, and it’s an opportunity to give yourselves a new purpose in life. Serve for us- offer your lives for humanity, and I will ensure that both of you are absolved of your crimes when the time comes.”

It was a promising offer that laid everything at stake, much like the “hit job” they were given. The promise of a fresh start, a newfound sense of purpose and freedom- she knew these were fleeting promises. If she were to take up his offer, she’d be signing herself a death sentence. 

_Give it a month or two and I’ll be titan food._

“What you mean to say is that you’re looking for hopeless, degenerate scum to offer up as cannon fodder to the titans, and we fit your perfect little job description like a glove.” She spat in return as her anger boiled over and her composure waned. _He doesn’t really care about us; we’re expendable to him. Worthless beings no one will mourn over once we get fed to the titans._ “Thanks but we’ll pass. Not everyone shares your deluded sentiment of discovering what lies beyond these walls.” 

“Then it’s settled. The Military Police can have both of you.” Erwin resigned as he stood up and signaled for Nile and his charges to approach them. “I’d wished that it would not come to this, but you've given me no choice. I can’t save those who don’t want to be saved.”

“So what’ll it be Brunswick, the gallows or the carriage?” Nile questioned as he slammed his boot on Piper’s side once more, causing her to double over. “Make it quick, we’re a busy bunch.”

 _Shit, it’s happening. It’s happening._ Panic washed over Piper’s eyes as the other officers forced Julia to stand up, her thrashing and kicking making it difficult for them to do so. The gruesome images that she had tried so hard earlier to shove back down to the recesses of her mind reemerged and haunted her once more, this time all the more vivid as the notion of death hung in the air. She could already feel it: the noose tightening around her neck, constricting her airflow as she struggled against the pull of gravity, suffocating her agonizingly, or the jagged rocks and the uneven streets bruising her body, shattering her bones or twisting her limbs in ways she couldn’t imagine as she was rapidly dragged by the horses. A slow, painful death, no matter what punishment or verdict befell upon them.

Eventually, Piper herself began to thrash against Nile’s sturdy grip as the adrenaline coursed through her veins, her anxieties increasing tenfold as they were slowly being dragged away. She wasn’t ready, not like this. Eternal damnation was eagerly awaiting her on the other side, yearning to claim her for all the souls and the lives she’d taken; she could even see Death counting down her days with his slim, bony fingers. He was ready for her, but she was not. _Please, not like this. Not like this._

She couldn’t hear Julia’s anxious pleas or the commotion in the plaza, for the rapid beating of her heart against her chest had drowned out all the noise. Her vision dimmed and spun, and she felt the strong urge to throw up once more; her limbs felt like jelly, and the vapid recess that had formed in the pits of her stomach was clawing at her dreadfully. Panic and grief had overtaken her senses completely.

“What’s the matter, Piper? Afraid of dying?” Nile cooed patronizingly as Piper continued thrashing against his grip. Over on the other end, Julia had succumbed to her anxieties and was crying, begging at the officers to reconsider. “Who would’ve known that the butcher’s only fear is dying! I’ll make sure you get a taste of both the carriages and the gallows.”

“Erwin, wait! Please!” Piper desperately yelled after the blond man, but he was already halfway through entering his carriage. It seemed that all hope had vanished before her, once more due to her recklessness and her stubbornness. He gave her a chance and she spat in his face in return. _Talk about being grateful_. “Erwin, please! We’ll take your goddamn offer! I’ll feed myself to the titans if I fucking have to! Just give us a chance!”

 _That did it._ A slight sense of relief washed over her as Erwin froze on his tracks and turned to face the commotion after hearing her cries of desperation. He’d seen through her during those futile moments, and her vulnerable side was laid bare for all to witness and see. Gone was the brave, unyielding and sharp-tongued Piper Brunswick in his eyes. What he was seeing now was a girl so terrified of facing death and the consequences of her actions.

He shook his head, evidently disappointed at her as he reapproached them. Nile had grown sick and tired of Erwin’s meddling and finally drew the line; he then resorted to aiming the barrel of his rifle straight at Piper’s neck as an attempt to warn him off. His other charges took this as a signal to further aim their rifles at Julia, and they did, causing the auburn-haired girl to cry and wail even more.

“For the last time, Erwin, what do you think you’re doing?!” He demanded yet again, the rifle quivering under his tense grip. The entire discourse had been going on far too long for his liking, and he was dead set on getting the job done as quickly as possible, so they could finally carry on with their boozed-up lifestyles. It didn’t help either that more and more citizens were gathering in the square to witness the entire fiasco.

“Making a gamble.” Erwin responded evenly, warily keeping his eyes on the rifle and the trigger as he resumed his cautionary approach.

“Now isn’t the time for your stupid gambles! Don’t even think about taking one more step, or I’m blowing this bitch’s brains off right this instant,” Nile threatened as he forcefully shoved the barrel towards Piper’s temple and placed a quivering finger towards the trigger. “Picking up criminals left and right isn’t your duty or obligation, and I can charge you for treason.”

“Think of this as a personal favor to you, Nile.” He cleared as he gripped the barrel of the rifle, peacefully urging the irked officer to set it down and see reason. “I’m helping you get some work off your shoulders. Mitras is a bustling place, and I’m sure you’ve got your hands full.”

“You don’t say,” Nile replied as he set down the rifle. “Now, even if I did want to pass these thugs over to you, surrendering them would spark outrage among the citizens of Mitras. The king will have my head for neglecting to end the problem when we had the chance!”

“Surrendering them to us is a death sentence in itself,” Erwin argued. “At least they would be useful to us until that time comes.” 

Erwin did prove a point. Whether or not Nile gave in and surrendered both of them to the Survey Corps or flat out refused and carried out their executions at that moment, they were still guaranteed to die. The only difference was that Erwin’s plan would’ve granted them the opportunity to be useful and eventually reform their troubled ways. But still, even if they did change, one way or another they were sure to be titan food. 

The notion troubled Piper deeply, but who was she to complain. _At least with the Corps, I could live to see another day, another week, or probably even another month… Maybe even a year or two if I’m pretty lucky._ Either way, joining the Survey Corps offered them a higher probability of survival, compared to surrendering to the Military Police. The circumstances weren’t ideal, but Piper couldn’t afford to be picky, especially now. After an eternity of hesitantly mulling it over, Nile finally succumbed to the offer and huffed exasperatingly, clearly defeated in his own game.

“Don’t come crawling back to us when those thugs cause you problems in the future. That’s all on you.” He coldly declared as he finally relented and released Piper, already too exhausted to continue the argument over her custody; she wasn’t worth his precious time anyways. Piper watched in silence as Julia shoved away from the officers who were still on her, relief and agitation battling for dominance on her tear-streaked face as she scrambled towards them.

Relief mixed with dread washed over her as she cautiously observed Nile and his group’s diminishing figures as they moved away from the plaza. Whether she liked it or not, things were never going back to normal from here on out. They escaped the clutches of death for now, but they were bound for a lifetime of suicidal and idealistic servitude.

 _After all, no crime goes unpunished,_ Piper silently mused as she meekly trailed after Erwin who was making his way back to the carriage. Their hands were stained with the blood of several men. It was just about time that karma finally bit them in the ass for their horrific sins.

“Before we go,” Erwin started as he faced the two of them. “Make sure to grab your necessary belongings. Mike will help you out.” 

* * *

The journey to the Scouts’ headquarters in Wall Rose had been silent and uneventful for the most part. The day was painstakingly overwhelming, and Piper lacked the energy to instigate another argument or maybe even a decent conversation if she really tried (and cared). Moreover, the atmosphere of the carriage was already too stuffy for her liking, so she deemed it best to simply shut out her surroundings and focus on the passing greenery by the window.

She preferred to be alone with her thoughts anyways, no matter how troublesome or grim they ended up at times. To begin with, she was never really good with people or socialization. Her pessimism coupled with her cynicism and horribly-timed sense of humor made her a magnet for trouble, or drove people on the verge of madness. Despite all that, it was a miracle and a relief to Piper that Julia chose to stay by her side. Apparently, the death, darkness and despair theme she had going on in her life wasn’t enough to push her away.

For that, Piper grew to care deeply for Julia. They had each other’s backs, no matter what troublesome situation they got themselves into. She was family to her, and quite literally the only family she had left. They’d practically grown up and spent most of their childhood years together; she was the sister she never had.

And so, Piper had spent most of the ride sneaking glances at Julia, worried that she might’ve finally driven her to her breaking point. She wanted to talk to her, but she wasn’t entirely sure as to how she was going to talk to her; today’s events had placed everything on thin ice.

 _Are you mad?_ Piper wondered as she mentally attempted to strike a conversation towards Julia who was also staring out in the window opposite her. _What kind of question is that- of course she’d be mad. You dragged her into this mess; no sane person would be happy after all that happened today._

Eventually, she gave up in her attempt and turned her gaze back towards the window. The sky was beginning to turn a soft golden orange, a sign that the day was nearing its end. It only dawned to her now that it had been years since she had seen what was beyond the walls of Sina. The seemingly endless fields of viridian, the unobstructed horizon that spanned as far as the eye could see, the puffy white clouds that lazily rolled across the sky and the warmth of the sun- it felt like a scene ripped out of a dream. 

_We’re never going back to the Underground. We can finally leave Mitras behind._

“Hey,” Piper found herself stating as she glanced at Erwin who was directly sitting across her. “Why’d you do it?”

“What do you mean?” He asked in response as he set down the stack of papers he had been thoroughly glossing over the moment they all entered the carriage and departed Mitras. Piper watched in subtle amusement as he furrowed his eyebrows, clearly trying to process her unforeseen inquiry. 

_Those gorgeous eyebrows could probably nest a whole flock of birds._

“Be fucking honest, why’d you come back for us?” She pressed as she pushed away the intrusive thought, keeping her tone monotonous. She wasn’t mad or anything, in fact, she was glad that Erwin actually listened to her desperate pleas, even if they were pretty pathetic. Still, she wasn’t looking forward to being titan food, but then again, who was she to complain. At least he gave them a chance to “atone” for their crimes. “I don’t want bullshit excuses about charity or whatever the fuck it is you idealistic patriots yap about.”

“I’ve dealt with the likes of you before,” he flatly explained. “Similar backgrounds, identical circumstances. Many couldn’t comprehend the reason behind conscripting them and deemed them irredeemable- a lost cause. But given the proper training and discipline, they made for outstanding soldiers.”

_Thanks, I guess._

“That means a lot, actually,” replied Julia. “For you to have such high regard for a bunch of people you’ve never met.”

Erwin nodded in acknowledgment, the sincerity of his intentions evident in his eyes. “From here on out, whoever you were and whatever you did in the past no longer matters. Keep looking forward, no matter what.” He replied shortly. 

It was a notable philosophy and a wholly-different outlook towards life. Erwin truly was an enigma; it startled Piper and tested the foundations of her perspective towards things. Whereas everyone in the Walls perceived the past as an escape from the bleak and uncertain future, Erwin was the opposite. He didn’t strike her as another individual who dwelled in the luxury of the past; he was searching for something, far ahead beyond the horizon. Past the comfort of the past and the luxuries of the present.

_A dreamer._

Suddenly, the sound of her stomach grumbling shook everyone from their thoughts. The familiar sensation of blood and heat rushing towards her cheeks manifested at once, and Piper swore under her breath. She didn't realize until then, but they hadn’t eaten anything since the previous night. Breakfast was a luxury their shallow pockets could never afford, and the privilege of lunchtime was mercilessly robbed from them due to the events that transpired in the plaza square earlier.

 _Should’ve taken a bite from that stupid apple earlier, Piper. Stubborn as always._ She mentally chastised herself as she heard shuffling from Erwin’s end. It didn’t take long for Julia’s stomach to rumble in protest as well, and soon both of them were staring at each other, faces painted a bright crimson.

“Here, for both of you,” Erwin spoke as he stretched both of his hands towards them, each holding what appeared to be a military ration bar. “You need it more than I do.”

“T-thanks.” Julia stuttered as she grabbed the ration bar from him. Piper followed and took the other bar, her mouth watering and craving for the ration. Her hunger had taken control and she couldn’t be bothered with thanking him anymore as she hastily devoured the ration bar, eager to fill her empty stomach. It lacked flavor and was horribly stale, but she couldn’t care less. Food was food; as long as they had something in their stomachs by the end of the day, she was grateful.

Once they had finished ravaging the ration bars and recovered from their embarrassment, Piper retreated to the comfort of her thoughts and the passing scenery yet again. Over in the distance, the faint outline of the high walls had started to emerge, and settlements beyond the confinement of the walls had begun to frequent the plain viridian fields.

“What district is this?” Piper asked as they steadily approached the walls. The bustle of the city and its inhabitants was livid in the air, and the toll of the bells grew louder and louder as they neared the enormous stone gates with Rose’s sigil emblazoned on them. 

“Trost,” Erwin responded as he looked out to the approaching gate. “We’re nearing the headquarters in a bit, so best prepare yourselves now.” 

As their convoy of carriages passed the tremendous gate, they were greeted by the energetic environment of Trost. Whereas Mitras was a spacious, quiet and sophisticated district that boasted clean, minimalist architecture and housed the richest individuals of humanity (excluding the horrible living conditions of the Underground City, of course), Trost was the complete opposite. Every street and corner harbored a chaotic scene: men and women running back and forth while carrying heavy sacks on their heads, villagers screaming for one another due to the noise in the streets, caravan after caravan unloading what appeared to be refugees and Garrison officers running back and forth, barking orders here and there. The houses and establishments were situated next to each other, barely leaving any space for alleyways or walkways. It was a far cry from the pleasantries of Mitras.

“Busy day?” Julia asked as she glanced at Erwin who was also observing the chaos in the streets. “Everyone seems to be in a rush or something.”

“It’s been like this for almost two months now, ever since the fall of Shiganshina,” Erwin replied as the carriage took a right turn, moving away from the congested streets. “Every district in Wall Rose is struggling with overcrowding due to the mass evacuation. Supplies are running low, and the lack of proper housing is driving everyone on the edge. If this keeps up, the capital will demand for at least half of these refugees to return to Wall Maria- a guaranteed mass sacrifice to deal with the current supply issues.”

“Weed out the weak and feed them to the titans, huh?” Piper grimly stated, not at all surprised by the eventual course of action. “Guess we’re really just cattle waiting on our asses to be fed to the titans.”

“It’s a last resort,” Erwin defended, clearly disgusted by the notion of sending hundreds of thousands of people to their deaths as a means to secure resources. “We’re actively proposing ways in the capital to handle the situation, hence why we were in Mitras earlier to witness the entire ordeal. As much as possible, I don’t want it to come down to that.”

“In the end, you might not have a choice,” Piper cynically stated as they steadily approached a castle. _Their glorious base of operations_. “We live in a cruel world. Sacrifices have to be made to ensure other people’s survival.”

Their headquarters was enormous, to say the least. Based on the stories and hearsays she had heard in Mitras and the Underground, the government despised the Scouts and believed them to be a hopeless cause- all their expeditions beyond the walls barely yielded anything substantial and were frequently doomed to failure. Hence they often faced budget cuts or denied expedition funding since these funds were redirected to more “essential” military branches like the Garrison or the Military Police. Residing in a grand castle seemed characteristically unrealistic for the Survey Corps, but perhaps the recent catastrophes and events have changed that for them and served as their silver lining.

“Pardon the mess of our headquarters,” Erwin stated as their carriage stopped in front of the entrance. “We’ve just moved in barely three weeks ago, so we haven’t all quite settled down.” 

One by one, they quietly exited the carriage and stepped out into the open, taking in the scene before them. The other carriages that were part of their entourage had arrived in the courtyard as well and had begun the process of unloading their passengers or the supplies they were carrying. As they made their way to the entrance, Piper could feel the stares and the murmurs of the soldiers they passed, bewildered at their sudden, undeclared presence. They clearly weren’t expecting visitors or recruits, so their presence at that moment served as a hot topic for gossip and rumor, at least until the situation was addressed and clarified by Erwin himself.

Two individuals- a man and a woman, stood by the entrance, eagerly awaiting Erwin’s arrival. The woman towered over the male and donned unruly chestnut hair tied into a high ponytail, and behind her goggle-like glasses were deep russet eyes overbrimming with excitement and natural curiosity. The male on the other hand was a stark contrast to the upbeat woman and donned raven-black hair styled into an undercut and had deep grey eyes that were fixed into an eternal scowl. The white cravat he wore around his neck was the final nail to the coffin for Piper, and his entire presence at that moment screamed 'pretentious piece of shit' to her. 

_It’s like having midget Dracula who’s constantly sucking on a lemon._ Piper thought to herself as they finally approached the steps of the entrance, and the two soldiers immediately saluted before Erwin.

“What the hell Erwin, what took you so long?” The short male bluntly questioned as his cobalt eyes narrowed and landed on Piper. “Didn’t think we’d be expecting recruits.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, a new chapter!
> 
> This one's significantly longer than the previous chapters, and I'm not entirely sure if I'm okay with that?? I'd love to hear your opinions/comments about chapter length and such, like if you'd prefer shorter ones or longer, more descriptive chapters like this (pls don't be shy u guys, I live off of constructive criticism hehe :>).
> 
> With regards to how often I'll be updating this fic, I'm projecting to either update this once a week or once every two weeks, depending on my schedule and overall well-being. Writing is no simple feat, and while it is something I enjoy doing, it could get frustrating at times. 
> 
> In case I couldn't flesh out an update between the aforementioned schedule/s, I will be posting out a notice [here on my tumblr account](https://noraraye.tumblr.com/) (which again is so barren and empty like fjdsak forgive me, I just made that account recently). And yes, that's all for today!
> 
> Kudos and comments are highly appreciated!! See you guys in the next and I hope you're all having a wonderful day/night :D


	4. Welcome Party

There was something vaguely familiar about the cold, metallic irises that eyed her like a vulture; that hollowed, stoic gaze commonly found amongst those who have witnessed the cruelties of life firsthand- she was certain she’d seen them before. His striking eyes stood out like a sore thumb, and gazing deep into them was akin to staring down a bottomless pit. Despite the vague sense of recognition and the bizarre sensation she felt under his scrutinizing glare, Piper was certain that she had never encountered the raven-haired man who stood before her. He struck her as the sort who would leave a lasting impression, had she ran into him at some point in her life. 

_If the eyes are the windows to a person’s soul, this man didn’t have even just an ounce of a soul left in him._ He was a tough one to read, and no matter how hard she tried to search his emotionless eyes for answers or measly scraps she could try to piece together, she emerged empty-handed, plagued by the odd sensation and haunted by his icy stare.

_There’s more to it behind that impassive gaze, isn’t it?_

_Who are you, and what are you hiding?_

“Well, don’t leave us hanging, Erwin,” the raven-haired man quipped, folding his arms as he awaited a response from the commander. “Tell us about your day, and the wonderful friends you’ve made along the way.”

Erwin cleared his throat and sighed in resignation as he pinched the bridge of his nose. His exhaustion was more apparent now, given the tension that was building on his shoulders coupled with the strained expression on his face. He was visibly frustrated, yet he was doing his best to maintain his composure and progress with the remaining tasks that were expected from him. The amount of patience he had in him was outstanding, even though things didn't go the way they should. 

“As expected, the king has denied our proposal for an increased budget for future expeditions. We’ll have to make do with what we have,” he started, eyeing the two soldiers who stood before him as he detailed the day’s developments. “Given the recent events surrounding the fall of Wall Maria, the capital believes that funding surveys and expeditions at this time are a waste of valuable resources. Thus, they’ve decided to fully divert their current funds to more pressing and immediate matters, like the current relief operations and evacuations. However, the trip to Mitras wasn’t a lost cause as an opportunity presented itself along the way, hence the presence of these two individuals.”

Piper found herself agreeing with the king’s perspective regarding the issue. She still believed that the old nutjob was incompetent and an indolent oaf, but his judgment was inarguably sound. She’d heard about the sudden attack, followed by the chaos and the havoc it wrought. It was rational and completely reasonable to divert all available resources to aid those who had been affected and displaced by the tragedy. 

Besides, what good were expeditions going to do anyway? The only thing they were ever consistent with was high mortality rates. Furthermore, now that humanity was forcibly pushed to the confinements of Wall Rose, it would be useless to conduct expeditions beyond its walls, considering that the region in-between it and Wall Maria had been decently mapped and surveyed in the past, and there was nothing substantial to gain from further scouring them. Humanity’s real objective was always situated beyond the shattered walls of Wall Maria, and doing so was rendered impossible granted the circumstances.

The two scouts said nothing in return as they silently processed the information Erwin disseminated, taking it into account. They didn’t seem all too affected by the letdown; perhaps such was the effect of being in the Survey Corps, considering that they were the military’s branch who often got the short end of the stick. A moment of silence passed before the woman’s head perked up, the stern, calculating look she donned earlier washing away as the gleam in her eyes reemerged.

The brunette proceeded to exchange glances with her aloof companion before eventually stretching out a hand for both Piper and Julia to shake. Unlike her shorter counterpart who looked like he had reached his breaking point and was ready to shove a knife up everyone’s asses and call it a day, she seemed thrilled at the prospect of brand-new company, and her eagerness to engage them both in conversation at once was overbrimming. 

“Well, at least we get to see some new faces around here! It gets horrendously boring and static at times, you know,” she beamed as she snatched Piper’s hand, vigorously shaking it before shifting to Julia and repeating the same gesture. “I’m Hanji Zoë, and it’s a pleasure to meet both of you.”

_And here I thought having one overly cheerful companion glued to my shoulder was enough for an entire lifetime. Now I have to endure another one. Seems like the heavens above intend for me to suffer in every way possible._

“Piper Brunswick,” Piper unenthusiastically replied, mustering her strength to shove down the urge to express her feelings of resentment and disdain. _I’ve known this sickeningly overenthusiastic woman for five seconds. Keep your cool._ “And that’s Julia Hartmann.”

“Brunswick… Now, where have I heard that name before…” Hanji trailed, earning herself a knowing and meaningful glance from Erwin. Even her stern companion who was initially disinterested at their entire ordeal had suddenly directed his attention towards her at the mention of Piper’s last name, his curiosity purportedly piqued. 

“Ah, I could’ve sworn I’d seen your last name in the papers several years back, but my mind’s probably playing tricks with me. Besides, there’s probably a handful of other Brunswicks out there,” Hanji eventually shrugged, chuckling as she chummily patted Piper’s shoulders before hopping over to Erwin. “Anyways, this is our commander, Erwin Smith- but you probably already knew that, and this is-”

“I can speak for myself, four-eyes.” The stoic man interrupted, swatting Hanji’s hand away when she attempted to sling her arm over his shoulders. “Name’s Levi.”

 _Levi, huh._ Piper pondered as she held his gaze once more, the vague sensation reemerging at the back of her head. _Wasn’t there a notorious thug in the Underground back in the day who went by the same name?_

“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” Julia responded, the only one besides Hanji to actually seem delighted to have the conversation. “I’m sure Piper and I have a lot of things to catch up on.”

“I won’t pretend and say that the demands and expectations set for both of you will be easy,” Erwin explained as they all proceeded to enter the building. “Given that both of you haven’t undergone formal military training of any sort, we will train you rigorously in these succeeding months. You’re going to learn in approximately six months what most of us mastered and learned in the span of three years. If your development is stunted or we do not see efficient results, we will not hesitate to send you back to the Military Police. Is that clear?”

_Six months._

_Six months to learn military tactics and protocols. Six months to cram three years’ worth of history and education. Six months to learn how to efficiently kill titans without losing a bloody limb. Six months to prove my worth._

_Is that even possible?_

_What the hell did you sign yourself up for, Piper?_

“E-Erwin? Are you sure that’s a reasonable amount of time?” Hanji questioned, visibly concerned about the feasibility of his proposed timeline. “They don’t seem to have notable foundations we could build on. It might be too dangerous to send them out in the open immediately.”

“Time waits for no one. Besides, they were resourceful enough to survive in the Underground and actively avoid the Military Police for several years. That alone is a huge feat in itself.”

“I still think that investing in these two brats is counterproductive,” Levi interjected, his harsh tone catching Julia and Hanji off guard. _He really wants nothing to do with us, huh? Charming._ “You said it yourself Erwin, time waits for no one, and we’ve got pressing matters to attend to.”

“We need all the manpower we can get,” he answered in return, seemingly prepared for his blunt remark. “We’ve lost a lot of men over the past few months, and the titans have dealt a heavy blow. They may not be the ideal soldiers we need, but given the proper training, I'm certain that they will be capable of doing the job. You of all people should know this.”

“Giving it some thought, it does seem impractical and reckless at first, but it will undoubtedly benefit us in the long run if things go as planned.” Hanji intervened, “Besides, on the bright side, it’ll be fun! And you get to make new friends!”

“You and I have very different definitions of _fun_ , four-eyes.” Levi replied tersely before clicking his tongue, acknowledging his defeat. It was apparent to all of them that nothing was going to sway Erwin’s decision; his word was definite and set in stone, whether they liked it or not.

“Which is why I am putting you in charge of these two, Levi.” The commander eventually continued, “I understand this is all very sudden for you, but I believe you’re best suited for the job given your… experiences. I trust you’ll know how to deal with them should the need arise.”

_Well isn’t that grand?_

_Ominous, but grand._

“Very well then.” Levi flatly acknowledged, shooting Piper another bone-chilling stare. 

Piper scoffed bitterly to herself, agitated at their situation’s latest developments. Besides having absolutely no say in the matter, they were now stuck with the short-tempered midget with the prickly demeanor. And to add salt to the wound, they had to answer directly to him.

 _My life’s a living hell_ , she thought to herself, failing to mask her irritation. _Being drawn and quartered right this instant is turning out to be an even more ideal scenario than whatever this is that fate keeps throwing in my way._

“Give them a tour of the HQ and hand them their uniforms before leading them to their quarters. When you’re done, meet me in my office for a full debrief regarding our current matters, along with your new responsibilities,” Erwin ordered. “And Hanji, go and help the others unload our supplies from the carriages.” With that, he firmly nodded at them before departing and proceeding to enter their base, leaving them out in the open. 

“Guess I better go and help the others then.” Hanji declared as she flashed them all an impish grin. “Have fun and see you around!” 

_And then there were three._

Piper observed Hanji’s diminishing figure as she joyously half-skipped towards the parked carriages, eager to meet up with the rest of their entourage. The sun had finally descended below the walls and twilight had begun to slowly creep in. It was a comforting and serene sight, one she had wanted to imprint at the back of her head for the rest of eternity.

This was the longest they had been aboveground while the sun was still out. Back in the day, none of them could stay out in the open for too long as they were actively hunted by the Military Police. Furthermore, sneaking past the tollgates of the Underground was no easy feat; their ragtag group had to perfectly time their escapes to the guards’ change of shifts, and their window was dangerously narrow. They had to act and move fast as the consequences of getting caught were as grave as any other capital crime.

Given this, most of their time spent above occurred during the nighttime. Sneaking aboveground in the middle of the night was easier as patrols were limited and stretched thin, and the darkness provided them the perfect camouflage. Hence, their midnight escapades were eventful and packed to the brim as they all tried to smuggle (or assassinate) as many people as they could; the more jobs and contracts they could accomplish in the dead of night, the better. 

Despite their hectic schedules, Piper spent a healthy amount of time gazing at the numerous silver speckles that littered the sky when she had the chance. The midnight sky was a magnificent sight, and she’s always had a fascination for the stars; she never wanted to waste the opportunity to stare up to the heavens above.

All in all, compared to the rest of the Underground’s inhabitants, they were still fortunate enough to have spent some time aboveground. Still, seeing all of this while there was light in the sky; it was a different thing altogether. 

“What the hell are you waiting for? Titans to fall from the sky?” Levi sharply called, already by the door. “Get moving. I have to show you two brats around.” 

“Come on,” Julia snickered as she gingerly nudged Piper, shaking her out of her trance. “That sight’s not going anywhere. We’ll have plenty of time to appreciate that- up to the point where we may even grow sick of it.” 

“Yeah.” Piper replied as they both made their way towards Levi. He was already proving to be a difficult individual; the chances of her getting along decently with him were little to none, given that it was pretty much a mutual agreement that they despised each other’s presence. She may not have verbally declared it yet, but body language was a reliable form of communication. Judging by the distance between them and the unease that settled in-between, he received the message loud and clear.

Levi held the door for them as they stepped inside, and Piper was immediately stunned by the sight that greeted her. The interior of the building was a lot bigger than she initially expected, and she felt dwarfed in comparison to the scale of everything (to be fair, she was already lacking at the height department, so the bar was set pretty low). The interior aesthetic was warmer and more worn-down than she envisioned: dark, rickety wooden floorboards that creaked with every step they took, high mahogany ceilings adorned with dusty gothic chandeliers, massive windows lined with velvet, crimson drapery, and walnut walls peppered with framed documents, newspaper articles, occasional paintings or illustrations of soldiers or important figures, various medals, and vintage models of uniforms or weaponry. Once more, it was a stark contrast to the clean and minimalist architecture and interior design of the official establishments in Mitras. 

_The bourgeoisie loved their whites and greys and their lack of decor. Oh, they’d probably faint at the sight of oakwood or a rusty blade hung on their pristine, white walls. The stuff of nightmares._

Frankly enough, their headquarters was heavily reminiscent of her old home and her forgotten days; less problematic times in which her innocence and naivete were intact, and she was plagued by shallow, childish worries instead of the unthinkable uncertainties tomorrow may bring. _The good old days. Papa always appreciated intricate wooden furniture and darker interiors. He would’ve loved to have seen this place._

It felt less like a military establishment and more like an abandoned castle. They had multiple libraries decked from floor to ceiling with various books and documents, and she was certain that their merry little band at one point walked past a music room with a grand piano. She didn’t understand the need for the piano especially in a military setting, or why they would invest in one in the first place when they had more important things to spend their sparse funds on, but she didn’t care enough to bother Levi with an inquiry. For what it’s worth, at least she finally had the opportunity to teach herself how to play the piano- if the thing was still functional, considering the amount of dust and grime that coated almost everything they stumbled into.

The three of them had been walking around for quite some time now, and Levi hadn’t muttered a single word since they entered the area. He didn’t strike her as the talkative type anyways, and for that she was glad. However, she was still apprehensive of him. They’d barely known each other for an hour, and yet the friction between them was distinguishable. Working with him (or under him) would prove to be challenging if their current situation and jagged relationship progressed. _Another pain in the ass to worry about._

Piper huffed irritatedly when they rounded what appeared to have been their fourth corridor (she wasn’t sure anymore, she’d lost track of their location- the layout was built like a hedge maze). Levi’s lack of commentary was irksome, considering that they were supposed to be “on tour”, and he was supposed to show them the area so they could be more familiar with it. 

_Some tour guide you are_ , she thought bitterly to herself as she eyed the back of his head. _Might as well call this a walking simulator since you’re barely even telling us where we are._ Eventually, Piper noticed that the corridor they were walking connected to a bigger area, and she immediately caught sight of what appeared to be a large supply room or a warehouse. It didn’t take long for them to reach the end of the corridor, and soon they found themselves entering the space, the warm glow of the lit chandelier suspended above its high ceiling cascading upon every corner of the room. 

Piper idly watched as Levi approached the wooden counter that separated them from the rest of the room. Immediately, he positioned himself and firmly knocked on the surface. The individual situated behind the counter immediately stood up at the sight and sound of his presence, alert and ready for whatever demands were about to be requested.

“Give me a set of uniforms for these two.” Levi spoke as he gestured towards them.

“Recruits, sir?” The officer inquired, shifting his attention to the two of them. “Didn’t think we’d be expecting at this time of the year.”

“Erwin dragged them along with him from Mitras.” He explained uncaringly as he began to drum his fingers on the countertop. Piper noticed that his eyes were fixated on her once more, and she felt the same undecipherable sensation creeping back at her. It was unsettling, and Piper detested it, but she wasn’t planning on faltering under his hawk-like stare, so she held his gaze, intending to catch him off guard. _If you have a thing or two to say, fucking say it. Don’t stare me down like a bug under your shoe._

“Very well, it’s nice to meet both of you.” The officer acknowledged before disappearing to the back to retrieve said uniforms. He re-emerged moments later, lugging along with him an overflowing stack of fabrics, leathers, and boots. The poor fellow looked like he was about to spill the bundle of items everywhere, and Piper felt bad for her sudden urge to snicker at the awkward sight. _Gotta give the guy credit for somehow managing to obtain everything in one trip._

“Two sets of uniforms as requested- a small for the blonde and a medium for the redhead. Feel free to come back and have the sizes changed if you find that they don’t fit that well,” the pleasant logistician stated as he handed them the bundles. “Ill-fitting uniforms tend to be a high safety hazard.” 

“Your rooms are this way, follow me.” Levi declared as they finished collecting their new effects. A few familiar corridors and one staircase later, they found themselves staring down a hallway of doors, every single one of them distinctly labeled or shut closed, save for two consecutive doors further down the hall. It appeared that someone else had already arrived to check the vacant rooms out and assign their quarters; situated near the open doors were crates that stored their possessions.

Piper made her way past the two of them and proceeded to her designated space, marked by her own crates. There was nothing spectacular about the room; everything about it was bleak and murky- a stark contrast to the interior of the hallways and the corridors. Compared to the other areas in the fort that was somehow well-maintained or in the process of restoration, it seemed that no one had attempted to clean or check up on the space ever since they settled into this base a few weeks back.

All of the furniture inside was covered in a blanket of cloth, save for the bed with the crisp white sheets in the far right corner of the room. One by one, Piper removed the off-white covers, disturbing the untouched layer of dust that had settled onto the fabrics. A gust of air blew through from the open window and dispersed the particles into the air, causing her to violently sneeze. 

“Shit, this place is filthy,” she mumbled to herself as her eyes watered and her nose flared. When the dust finally settled, Piper noticed that the air inside reeked of an odd mixture of bleach, mold, old parchment and wood. As she walked around, she realized that the floorboards were notably creakier than the ones outside. The plain oak desk to her right harbored faint scratches and scuff marks on its surface, serving as a timely souvenir from its previous user. The white walls had also turned a yellowish white-grey and had a few chips and imperfections- none of which were too big and displeasing to the eye, thankfully.

The only things that seemed to be in perfect condition were her bed, the nightstand, and the closet by the left side of the door. Despite its semi-neglected state, it had all the necessary amenities- a good scrubbing or two, and her quarters would be perfect. Aside from that, Piper was simply glad that she had her own private space; she was dreading the idea of having to be barracked with other soldiers, but thankfully that wasn’t the case in their headquarters.

Piper mindlessly lifted her crates and placed them on top of the oak desk before exiting the room to meet up with the two she had left earlier. She stumbled into Julia who was leaning against the doorframe of her own room, idly tugging at the seam of her cardigan, but Levi was nowhere to be found. 

“He said he’ll be back,” Julia explained as she left her spot and brushed past Piper to check out her room. “You seemed a little preoccupied over there, so he decided to just leave. Everything okay?”

 _Not really_ , she thought bitterly to herself as she met Julia’s concerned gaze. She couldn’t understand how Julia managed to maintain her cheerful disposition, despite everything that had transpired. She even seemed glad to be in their current situation, despite being dragged into the mess against her will. It didn’t make sense for Julia to continue to fret about her, considering that she’d nearly sent her to her death, all for the sake of achieving a selfish ambition. _You should be mad. Why aren’t you?_

“You’ve been brooding a lot today,” the redhead aired as she walked over to the stack of crates Piper discarded on the table. “Come on, what’s bothering you?”

“This entire day's bothering me,” Piper grimaced as she took her place beside Julia, watching as she rummaged through her crates one by one, in search for something. “Everything didn’t go according to plan.” 

“That we can agree on. Today’s a fucking mess,” she smiled ruefully as she brought out an old photograph from the stack, its edges worn and damaged. “But that’s definitely not it. Talk to me.”

 _Persistent as ever, huh?_ Piper disdainfully gripped the edges of the table, struggling with her thoughts and her feelings. 

“Aren’t you mad?” She questioned numbly, unwilling to let her guilt and frustration manifest in her tone. She hated expressing her feelings and exposing her vulnerable side, even to Julia.

“I was earlier,” Julia admitted as she fiddled with the faded photograph. “Back in the plaza, I was seriously contemplating punching your face in. Of course, I couldn’t since I was pinned to the ground by those two sweaty assholes. I told you from the start that the job was suspicious, but you didn’t listen, so I despised you at that moment.” 

“I was also pissed at you for dragging me into this god-forsaken branch. I couldn’t tell if being titan fodder was a better fate than being sent to the gallows,” she continued. “But- albeit recklessly- you still gave both of us the chance to live and see the light of day, even if our time here may be limited. So no, I’m not mad. I’m thankful for this, actually.” 

“Besides, this was Harry’s dream. He would’ve been glad to be here, despite the sticky situation.” Julia finished and chuckled sincerely as she handed over the worn photograph to Piper. 

Piper was shocked when she recognized the image Julia had been fiddling. She thought she’d lost it some time ago, so seeing and holding the treasured piece of paper after all those years came as an utter surprise for her. A sullen smile crossed her face as she observed the four figures standing side by side, happy and content with each other’s company. _Just a bunch of bright-eyed, up-to-no-good teenagers arrogantly brandishing their weapons and donning stupid grins, save for one who refused to smile, and another who didn’t know how to._

“I stumbled into that earlier while Mike was helping me out in the shack,” Julia grinned as she scooted closer to take a better look at the photograph. “Mike’s a bit eccentric with this sniffing habit of his, but he’s pretty damn helpful. He found that old shithead underneath Aidan’s old stash- it must’ve fallen through the floorboards. How long’s it been since we’d last seen that picture anyways?”

“A good four years? I dunno. It’s been ages.” She responded as her eyes landed on the faded scribble underneath the image. A wave of nostalgia struck her as she skimmed the inscription, the hasty yet pleasant penmanship bringing back memories she’d buried long ago. 

_Leisman Company, 837. We’re family._

_H. Leisman, P. Brunswick, J. Hartmann, A. Shevchenko_

“Good times, right?” Julia laughed as she stared at their younger, brighter faces. “That’s why I’m not mad at you. I realized that we’re just carrying out Harry’s dream, six years late.” 

_Don’t even think about crying over a stupid photograph, Piper. You’d be hitting rock bottom if you do_.

“Stop beating yourself up, alright? Shit happens. There’s no use crying over spilled milk.” She stated once more as she placed a reassuring hand on Piper’s shoulder. “Let’s just make the most out of it.” 

“Alright. If it means you’ll stop being all mushy then fine,” she acquiesced, gently swatting away Julia’s hand. “Now are you just gonna stand there like an emotional dumbass, or are you planning to help me out with all of this?” 

“Fine, mood-killer. I’ll help you,” Julia laughed as she left her post and made her way towards the discarded covers. “If you say the magic word.”

“Idiot, just fold those goddamn covers and help me dust out the room.”

“That’s not the magic word! Come on, where are your manners, Pipes?”

“Just fold it or leave the fucking room-”

“Hey,” the sound of Levi’s sharp voice cut through the room, prematurely interrupting their playful exchange. “What the hell are you two doing? Didn’t I tell you to clean this filth up while I was gone?” 

_Who's the mood-killer now, huh?_

“What do you think we’re doing?” Piper retorted, cocking an eyebrow. Immediately, Julia nudged her and shot her a sideward glare, indirectly telling her to just shut up and let her do the talking. She then proceeded to chuckle nervously before rubbing the back of her neck, an apologetic smile suddenly plastered on her face. “Right, sorry about that, I was just helping Piper out,” she declared as she motioned towards the stack of crates on the table and the covers carelessly discarded in one corner. “Her room’s a mess.” 

“Damn right it is.” He grimaced as he inspected the wall before swiping his hand against it, thoroughly disgusted by the amount of dust it left on his palm. He shook his head and let out a bothered _tch_ as he wiped his hand before facing the two of them again. 

“Erwin’s given me the rundown of your profiles, along with our brand new tasks. We’ve got a rigorous day up ahead, so don’t even think about staying up too late. I don’t intend to waste my time pounding at your doors.” he started, frowning as he continued to skim the items littered all over. “He also told me to give this back to you.”

Piper watched as he fished around in his breast pocket before eventually bringing out her balisong. The knife had slipped out of her mind entirely, so it took her a moment to process what he was holding. She was also caught off-guard when he suddenly threw it towards her, nearly missing the item and barely catching it with her hands. 

“Don’t even think about using that on anyone here,” he remarked, watching as she spun the knife open. “One wrong move and I won’t hesitate to send you back to those interior dogs.”

 _Interior dogs, I like that_ . Piper smirked as she eventually spun the knife close before tucking it in her pocket. _Guess he despises those incompetent bastards too. At least that's one thing we have in common._

“Still, despite his ramblings about your skills and potentials,” Levi continued, “I can’t say that I agree with Erwin picking up and wasting valuable resources on delinquents like you, but he has his reasons, and I trust his overall judgement.” Despite the condescending and harsh words that escaped his mouth, Piper couldn’t help but notice the faint falter in his pointed glare. Perhaps it was due to the shifty lighting, or probably just her mind playing tricks with her, but for a brief moment, he seemed pained by his own words, as if he never really meant them.

“Dinner’s being served in the mess hall.” He eventually stated before turning on his heel and proceeding to leave the room. “Hurry downstairs if you plan on grabbing something to eat. The servings run out pretty quick.” 

“So, you coming?” Julia immediately inquired afterwards as she headed for the entrance, surprisingly unfazed by his harsh remark about them.

“You go on ahead if you want,” Piper replied, drained as she remained in her place. “I’m calling it a night.”

“I’ll save you a plate for tomorrow if it's even allowed.”

“I’m good. Don’t worry about it.”

“If you say so,” Julia resigned as she exited the room. “Goodnight Pipes.”

She couldn’t be bothered with dinner; her exhaustion had trumped her hunger, and she needed some time alone. The mere thought of having to forcefully interact and share a meal with strangers down in the mess hall put her off, and she preferred to relish in the quiet solitude of her room, despite it being an absolute mess. 

Piper lingered near the table and found herself occupied with the sepia-hued photograph yet again. It was a bittersweet reminder of the past, a time in her life she’d yearned to bring back but at the same time forget about entirely. After several minutes, she decided to leave the image inside one of the books in her crate and made a mental note to remember to retrieve the image in the succeeding day; she wasn’t planning on losing the memento again.

It was still relatively early in the evening, but she was finding it more difficult to resist the call of her bed. Her body was demanding for well-deserved shut-eye, but her mind was protesting and telling her otherwise; she found herself torn between finally crashing down or just idly tinkering around her room to pass time. Besides, the area was still relatively filthy, and her belongings were still scattered around. There was still much to do to make her quarters presentable, and she was certain Levi would throw another fit if he’d barged in again in the morning, only to see that the place was still in the same sorry state. Julia wouldn’t be able to vouch for her anymore by then. 

_Fuck it, I’ll clean the rest tomorrow. Not like he could do anything about it._

And so it was decided right there and then; sleep above everything else.

Piper then blew out the candles on the lamp on top of the nightstand and aimlessly kicked off her boots before crashing down on the mattress, taken aback by how surprisingly soft and clean it felt- she hasn’t had a bed that soft in so long, and it felt like heaven. The enveloping darkness accompanied by the faint moonlight peeking from the window served as her sole companions as she felt her eyelids gradually become heavier. It didn’t take long for her to close her eyes, and soon she found herself effortlessly drifting away into deep slumber. 

_May tomorrow be more merciful to our penitent asses._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God this chapter is overdue, I'm so sorry >_<
> 
> A lot of things happened in the past few weeks, so I was pretty occupied and didn't have much time to work on this chap.
> 
> Anyways things have somehow smoothened out a bit, so I'll be back to my regular schedule (unless life fucks me over again lmao)
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed :)


	5. Hinge

_“Remember Piper,” her father spoke as he knelt down and firmly rested his calloused palms on her small shoulders, leveling himself to meet her astonished gaze. “We’re Brunswicks. When faced with moments of adversity, we stand our ground.”_

_“Stand our ground!” she repeated with vigor and enthusiasm as she stood up straight and resolutely stuck out her chest, prompting a soft smile from her weary father. She was oblivious to the weight and complexity of the meaning behind those words, but it didn’t matter to her as she proudly held her head up._

_“That’s right, Pup.” he smiled as he patted her head and pulled her close, blinking back the tears that welled in his eyes. “Stand your ground, and never falter.”_

* * *

“Get up and meet me in the courtyard in twenty minutes. I’m not asking twice.” Levi’s harsh voice accompanied by his rapid, aggressive knocking resonated throughout the silent room, stirring Piper from her sleep. It was far too early in the morning for his loud commotion, and a bothersome headache began to form as she turned to the other side of the bed and burrowed her head in her pillow, hoping that the cushion would muffle out the noise from Levi’s obnoxious knocking. The obnoxious pounding persisted, and Piper agitatedly gripped the edges of her blanket as the throbbing in her head amplified.

“You’re not even asking to begin with, asshat!” she groaned in response, groggily hurling a pillow towards the door. The lump of cotton she had been relishing moments prior crashed against the wooden divider with a quiet thump, softly rattling the frame before slowly descending and settling at its base. _Talk about having the worst wake up call in humanity._

Sunlight leaked through the window and poured into the entire setting, and her sleepy eyes struggled to readjust to the blinding lights. Piper cursed under her breath as she rubbed away the lingering sleep from her eyes, irritated by the brightness and the noise from earlier. She then threw aside the covers and swung her legs off the bed, immediately taken by surprise when her feet landed on the cold floorboards. 

The abrupt contact of the chilled wood against her bare feet really did the trick this time and shocked her awake, causing her to gasp and recoil her feet in response to the biting sensation. Piper curiously looked around in hopes of distinguishing the cause for the floorboards to chill overnight, and the flutter of the sheer curtains against the gentle breeze brought her attention to the culprit, prompting her to sigh defeatedly upon noticing that she had left the window open. 

“No fucking wonder,” she half-sighed as she slammed it shut. “No fucking wonder you idiot.”

Upon recovering from the shock of the cold floorboards and her horrible wake-up call, Piper mechanically approached the wooden closet she’d left her new uniforms in and took out a set, quietly admiring their quality and craftsmanship as she took off her clothes and slipped the fresh garments on. Figuring out how to properly detangle and strap together the leather harness was not an easy feat, and she cursed to herself as she worked her way through the various straps that hugged and crossed at different sections of her body. Eventually, she managed to figure out the entire harness, and Piper was relieved to discover that everything fit her snugly. At least she didn’t have to go through the hassle of heading back to the armory and having them replaced or altered. 

As she slid her arms through the sleeves of her canvas-colored jacket, she couldn’t help but notice her startling reflection on the mirror. The person that stood before her was nearly unrecognizable: she was rigid, put-together, and reformed, a stark contrast to the shaggy, brusque, and unrefined self she and others were well-accustomed with. Much to her disbelief, the ensemble fit her like a glove- as if it were naturally made for her from the very start, and she was well-suited for the tremendous duty her uniform entailed. Piper honestly would’ve believed that she was looking at an entirely different person, had it not been for the unruly locks partially obscured her face and the dulled hazel eyes that stared right back at her. 

_Look at you_ , she chuckled unbelievably as she turned to get a better look at the emblem on her back. _A full-fledged scout. Who would’ve known._

“Live up to it,” she reassured herself as she stepped out of her quarters and slammed the door shut, feeling a strong surge of determination. “Live up to those bloody wings of yours.” 

Piper went on her way and headed down the main corridor, tracing back her steps as she attempted to navigate the headquarters in hopes of locating the exit that would lead to the courtyard. She intentionally ignored the soldiers who pleasantly greeted her as she made her way through the complex, unwilling to engage in any form of social interaction due to her unpleasant mood. She eventually spotted the double doors she had been searching for and brushed through them, stepping into the open field where she immediately spotted Levi who was leaning against a pole in the near distance. Julia on the other hand was nowhere to be found, and this piqued her curiosity.

“You’re late.” he coldy declared to her as she approached, maintaining his attention on the clipboard he held. “Didn’t I tell you not to keep me waiting?” 

“I hit a snag with my uniform earlier,” she excused, keeping her tone leveled as he purposely ignored her and continued to scribble on the clipboard. He was getting on her nerves, but she _really_ wasn’t in the mood to stir up an altercation with him. “Had to figure out how to put this harness on.” 

The only response she managed to wrangle out of him with her explanation was his usual, irritated “Tch” as he paid her little attention and remained preoccupied with the clipboard, irking her further. _What’s on that board for you to be so heavily engrossed with it anyway? Porn? Those obnoxious Order of the Walls pastors' juicy scandals and controversies?_

“Where’s Julia?” she wondered as she broke the silence that settled between them and scanned the vicinity in the hopes of locating her friend. “I thought you were supposed to keep an eye on both of us.” 

“Erwin’s got a job or two for her. He’ll be supervising her training today.” Levi replied dryly as he set the clipboard down on the table adjacent to them and faced her, the same impassive scowl etched onto his face.

_Oh great. I have to deal with you on my own now._

Levi stared her down head to toe, critically inspecting her overall ensemble for misplaced buckles, unfastened straps, or mismatched pieces. It didn’t take long for his grimace to deepen, and Piper took it as a telltale sign that he had discovered something unsatisfactory about her current presence.

“Your hair’s too long,” he commented as he disapprovingly swatted away a lock of her hair. “Tie it up or cut it. It’ll get in the way.” 

_Of course it has to do with the hair_ , Piper thought as she knowingly glanced at her unruly strands, watching as they landed just above her bust strap, evidently exceeding the acceptable length. Truth be told, her hair had been bothering her for quite some time now, and she had intended to shear a couple of inches off, but she never found the time nor the opportunity to do so. Besides, Levi’s request (or demand) was entirely reasonable; with the current length and state of her hair, it was just a matter of time before it got caught up in the wires of her ODM or any of the training gear. Getting accidentally scalped in the heat of battle or in the midst of training was not an entertaining thought, nor was it a dignifying way to die. 

_Very well then. Off with the hair._

“Alright,” she exhaled, acknowledging his order. She began to hastily bundle and gather her hair up in a haphazard ponytail, initially intending to use her balisong to shear the messy locks off. However, a bolder idea crossed her mind when her eyes landed onto his maneuver gear, spotting the fresh, sheathed blades. Piper cautiously watched as Levi disinterestedly diverted his attention back to the clipboard he placed on the table, providing her with the window she needed. Seizing her opportunity, she hurriedly ducked and snatched one of the holstered blades before proceeding to angle it against her bundled hair, startling him as she effortlessly hacked at the gathered locks in one fell swoop. 

Levi shockingly observed the tufts of hair that had gathered at her feet, appalled by her brash move. He stared at her wide-eyed with his lips slightly parted, and Piper shoved back the smirk that threatened to form as the initial shock wore off his face and he shot her a disgruntled frown, disapproval written all over his cold eyes as they narrowed down into sharp slits. 

“Your cut’s atrocious,” he sighed, irritatedly pinching the bridge of his nose and frowning at her as she gathered the fallen clumps and idly lifted a chopped section of her hair, unfazed. “You look like shit.”

“I’m well aware of that,” she shrugged, unaffected by the ordeal as she placed the blade on the table, the early morning sunlight bouncing off of its reflective surface and back to them. “Didn’t have a mirror to work with, so I had to make do.”

Levi shook his head in disbelief as he retrieved the blade and swiftly sheathed it back into its slot in his gear, staring as she wordlessly turned on her heel and brushed past him. “Where do you think you’re going?” he questioned sharply as she began to strut off.

“I’ll be back, don’t worry.” Piper casually declared as she headed for the entrance. “Just heading to the bathroom to clean this up.” She hurriedly re-entered the building and jogged to the bathroom, intent on disposing of the clumps she was holding and immediately obtaining a glimpse of her sheared hair so she could apply the necessary trims and adjustments that would help even it out. It was pretty obvious from the get-go that the resulting outcome would be terrible, given the odd angle and the unconventional method she had used, and it was certainly going to take a lot of time and effort on her end to make it look presentable, but she didn’t care. At least she’d finally chopped off the stubborn locks- it had been a long time coming. 

Piper pushed the bathroom door open and entered, instinctively averting her eyes from the polished mirror as she dumped the sheared bits of her hair in the trash bin and inspected the area to see if anyone else was around. Deep down, she was conceitedly worried about the state of her hair, and all the pessimistic thoughts loudly racked at her brain as she prepared herself for the reveal.

“It couldn’t be _that_ bad, right?” she mumbled as she turned to the mirror, her wishful plea falling on deaf ears as she realized the extent of irreparable damage she’d inflicted on her hair. _Oh it’s bad. Very bad._

“Guess it’s my turn to be mortified now, huh?” she expressed bitterly to herself as she lifted a massacred section, regretful of her actions. The sheared output was horribly uneven and choppy, with multiple sections being drastically shorter than the rest. _In Levi’s words, it’s atrocious, and I look like shit._

Piper disdainfully fished for the balisong in her pocket and flipped it open, testing its edge to see if it was sharp enough to nick at the ragged edges of her hair. “No use crying over spilled milk,” she uttered as she began to hack at the edges.

_What the hell am I doing?_ she jadedly thought as she stared at herself, cynical that the state of her hair was going to improve. _Idiot, you’re making it worse._

True enough, she was further aggravating the battered state of her tresses as she continued her attempt to fix things, the overall length of her hair growing irrevocably shorter as the pale clumps of hair gathered and fell on the sink in front of her. She was too preoccupied that she hadn’t noticed that another figure was present, causing her to jerk the knife in surprise and nearly slash a large portion off when the sound of a flushing toilet sounded throughout the room and one of the stall doors opened, revealing the additional presence to be Julia.

“What the- Piper!” she exclaimed, staggering backward into the stall as she recognized the unfolding horror. “What happened to your hair?!”

Piper sighed heavily and placed the balisong on the counter of the sink as Julia hurriedly approached, petrified. “I cut my hair.” she flatly muttered, averting her eyes from Julia’s frantic orbs. 

“With what?!” 

“One of Levi’s blades.” 

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Perhaps?” Piper replied as she picked up the knife and positioned it back at her hair, resuming her attempt to remedy the mishap. “It’s hard to tell nowadays.” 

“Are you kidding- _fuck_ , Pipes just stop,” Julia groaned as she shook her head, vexed. “Give me that,” she added as she pried the balisong off Piper’s hands, insisting on lending a hand and improving the pitiful state of her hair. “And keep still. I’ll try to fix this mess.” 

Piper yielded and silently watched from the mirror as Julia dourly trimmed the uneven edges, the slick swishes of her knife filling the quiet atmosphere of the bathroom. Periodically, Julia would hesitantly toss sheared tufts of her hair onto the sink, remorseful as they circled the drain before resuming with another round of nicks and slices. A couple more minutes passed, and Julia finally finished and handed back the knife with a flounce. 

“Alright,” she spoke, exhausted. “That’s as even as it could get. It’s way too short for my liking, but surprisingly, it suits you.” 

“I could’ve handled it,” Piper responded as she tucked away the abundant new fringes that had formed from the debacle. “But thanks.”

“Hold on, I’m not done,” Julia blurted as she steadied her. “I’ve got something for those fringes. Give me a second, and you’ll be thanking me later.” 

“I’m in a bit of a rush-” 

“Just sit still, and let me handle this.” Julia insisted as she hastily gathered and pulled Piper’s fringes to the back of her head. Piper cocked an eyebrow as Julia swiftly wove the pieces together, itching to catch a glimpse of what she was doing.

“There, dainty and practical,” Julia spoke shortly afterwards as she gave Piper’s hair one final tug before releasing it, satisfied with her handiwork. “It’s not much, but it does the trick.”

“What is it?” Piper inquired as she tried to feel the back of her head. “What did you do?”

“It’s a half-braid to keep most of your hair away from your face,” she replied as she aided Piper and helped her get a better look at it. “Naturally, some of the shorter bits couldn’t be included. I’ll teach you how to replicate it later, after our training.” 

“It’s… girly.” she trailed, unsure of how to feel as she tried to register her transformed appearance. Gone were the long and unruly pale blonde locks from earlier; her sheared hair hovered a few inches above her shoulders, held together by the half-braid Julia created while her shorter fringes fell towards her face, softly framing it. Her reflection looked even more foreign to her now than it did earlier when she first donned the uniform. _It’s like I’m a completely different person now._

“Yes I know, I’m amazing.” Julia smugly expressed as she patted Piper’s back. “But seriously, get a move on already. Erwin’s gonna kill me for stalling in this bathroom. Besides, don’t you have somewhere else to be?” 

“Well, I-”

“Oops, no time!” she interrupted as she hurriedly shoved Piper out of the room before shutting the door in front of her face. Piper smiled and shook her head, appreciative of her friend’s antics as she returned to the courtyard. _Guess I owe her one._

Just as she had expected, Levi hadn’t budged from his place, and his narrow eyes slightly widened as he recognized her tidied state. “Took you long enough,” he grumbled as he examined her appearance with the slightest hint of amusement. “And not bad, Brunswick.”

“I thought you said it looked like shit.” 

“Miraculously, you managed to transform a steaming pile of shit. It suits you.” 

“A compliment? From you?” Piper smirked as she placed a hand on her hip, puzzled by his shift in demeanor. _Is he finally dropping the edgy, egotistical stunt and acting like a decent human being?_ “My, I’m shocked. Did you hit your head while I was gone, midget?” 

“Tch. Don’t let it get to your head, brat.” he shot back as he made his way over to the massive training post, Piper following in pursuit. _Nevermind. Spoke too soon._ “And it’s _Captain_ Levi,” he scoffed, unappreciative of her snide remark. “Learn some fucking manners.” 

“Alright, whatever you say, _Captain_ ,” she muttered spitefully as she dismissively waved her hand, rolling her eyes the moment he turned his back from her. _Someone’s a bit touchy about their height._

“This right here is a mechanism we use for mobility training,” Levi explained as he passive-aggressively pounded his fist against one of the pillars, testing its sturdiness. “It replicates the experience of using ODM and tests your aptitude. It’s the most basic form of training, one that should be a walk in the park for you, given your extensive track record.”

“Head to the middle and fasten the hooks of the wires onto the hooks of your belt,” he ordered to her, his surly disposition re-emerging as he watched her appropriately adjust the devices to her fit. The moment she’d finished fastening the hooks and securing the necessary wires, Levi sternly nodded and gestured to her as he made his way over to the reel at the backmost pillar, signaling that he was about to begin the exercise. Piper on the other hand curiously stared at him as he pushed the handle downwards in an attempt to spin the reel, only for it to harshly creak and resist the motion entirely, evoking a frown from the captain. 

“What’s the matter?” she called as he tugged at the reel once more, but to no avail. “Having a bit of trouble?” 

_Midget, there’s a lock to that reel. It’s a safety precaution,_ she wanted to declare and point out for him, but she found satisfaction in watching him lose his composure as he agitatedly struggled with the gear. Piper amusingly observed as Levi continued to budge at the contraption, his irritation growing more apparent as the seconds passed. It didn’t take long for him to resort to kicking at the god-forsaken reel with hopes that the blunt force would free the unmoving mechanism, preventing her from containing the smirk that itched to form on the corners of her mouth as he cursed under his breath.

“Didn’t they teach you guys how to handle this in the Training Corps?” she questioned out loud as she gave in and withdrew from her spot, finally approaching him as he continued his losing battle against the unyielding device. He gave no verbal response and instead shot her daggers, displeased as she bent over and reached for the hinge that was inconveniently obstructed by the mechanism’s handle. With one swift tug, a satisfying click emanated from the reel as she yanked the piece of metal away, and the jammed contraption finally released itself and dislodged from its position.

“Use your eyes next time,” she chided as she grabbed his hand and dropped the metal piece on his palm, her hands accidentally brushing against his. “And make sure to secure that shitty piece of scrap. It’s a locking mechanism that preserves the gears inside when the entire device isn’t being used.” She didn’t think much of her gesture, but Levi immediately snatched his hand away from hers before shooting her a dark look, feeling invaded. 

“You never went through the Cadet Corps,” he probed after they both recovered, his steely eyes narrowing in suspicion as he watched her realign the gear and pop the reel back into place. “How did you know about this?”

“My father was the chief engineer for one of the military’s main suppliers,” Piper flatly explained as she inspected the different components before testing them out, ensuring that everything was working correctly. “He oversaw development on various equipment and weaponry, so I spent a lot of time back in the day watching him tinker around with these things or test out prototypes for you guys.”

Something must’ve clicked at the back of his head the moment she revealed that trivial piece of information about her, and Piper could’ve sworn that she had noticed the faintest glint of recognition settle in his unreadable eyes. For a split second, she was certain that his expression softened towards her, but Levi was quick to recognize his falter, and the fleeting expression was replaced by the same penetrating and unreadable stare he’d presented her when they first met. 

“Oh?” he muttered, the tone of his voice alarmingly suspicious. _There’s that stupid look again. That bone-chilling gaze._ “I thought you were from the Underground?”

“I didn’t reside in the Underground all my life, you know,” Piper responded as she tried to brush the uncomfortable feeling off, averting her eyes from his. “Surprising as it may be, but I had a pretty normal childhood, for the most part. Shocking right?” 

“What happened?”

_What happened? Is he being serious right now?_

_I’m sure anyone with a working brain could deduce that some shit went down in a person’s past if they resorted to a life of crime afterwards. How dense could this fucker be?_

“Life happened,” she spoke coolly, masking the pain that bubbled within her as she bitterly recalled her past. “Those days I spent with my father? It’s a thing of the past- one that’s dead and gone. That’s all you’re ever getting out of me.” 

Her past was a deeply guarded secret, one she’d gone through great lengths to bury and mask to protect herself. She had only revealed the bit about her father as she thought nothing of it and believed that it no longer mattered now that she was under the “protection” of the Survey Corps, but it was clearly an error in judgment on her part. Levi showed no further interest or attempt in pushing the conversation, but she couldn’t shake the nasty feeling that he was now onto her. He had been highly skeptical of her presence since the very beginning, and it appeared as though he had even known her from all the way back; this notion deeply troubled her. Her little revelation was akin to the final nail to the coffin, one that confirmed a suspicion he had been harboring from the very start. Besides, she knew that he was the persistent type, and that this was truly not the end of their conversation; he was bound to bring it up again in the near future. 

“Fine, I won’t pry.” he resigned as he repositioned his hands on the reel and watched her reattach the wires, anticipating her signal to begin the exercise. “Now, when you feel the wires tightening, engage your core, and focus your weight and balance towards your waist and the back of your legs. Try not to panic if you feel yourself teetering over and pivot your hips in the opposite direction to keep yourself upright.” 

“Spare me the lengthy details. I know what to do,” Piper replied, signaling for him to begin. He began to reel the wires in, and Piper quietly listened as the scratching sound of the gears pulling in the wires resonated from the topmost portion of the structure, the gentle breeze swaying her body as her feet slowly left the ground. The distance between her feet and the ground gradually increased as Levi continued to reel her in, and the force the wires exerted on the sides of her waist amplified the higher she ascended. Piper tuned out of her surroundings and focused on the pressure that was building up in various parts of her harness, processing how she was supposed to adjust her position in order to disperse the force equally throughout the different straps that supported her. Feeling a tighter tug towards her back right side, she instinctively shifted her weight forward and pivoted her hip to the left, enabling her to keep her balance centered as she dangled mid-air. 

Levi halted the reel and reinserted the metal hinge back in its slot, locking the mechanism and securing Piper as he left his post in order to closely inspect her form. Despite being suspended several feet off the ground, she’d managed to maintain her composure and effortlessly keep herself upright as if she was well-accustomed to the experience. A stronger gust of wind blew and swayed the wires, and he’d expected her to be knocked over, but Piper simply stiffened her legs and allowed the wind to rock her body, allowing her to sway whilst keeping her entire form upright. Balancing against the wires came as second nature to her, and he recognized this, impressed by her decision to sway with the wind. 

“Seems that you’re a natural after all,” he remarked, observing as she continued to dangle. “Not bad Brunswick, I’m impressed.” 

“Another compliment? From you?” Piper inquired as he unlocked the hinge and began to let her down, sarcastically faking her shock as he continued to unreel the wires. “Dear god I think the heavens above might burst open because of this. Seriously, don’t overdo it. I’m starting to miss your grumpy side.” 

“You’ve earned it, brat. I don’t shy away from acknowledging skill when it’s evident.” Levi scoffed the moment she was back on the ground before turning away from her and picking up the clipboard he’d discarded on the table. “When you’re done freeing yourself, head to the armory, and request for your own maneuver gear. We’ll be training in the trees from now on.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (The haircut bit is inspired from an actual experience of mine a week ago :'). When you fuck up with cutting your hair, you REALLY fuck up with cutting your hair.)
> 
> Unrelated to that, I managed to stumble into the faceclaims of Piper and Julia which I made in artbreeder about a month and a half ago. So yeah, here are my precious girls :D  
> 
> 
> That's it for today, and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Kudos and comments are highly appreciated <3


	6. Pulled Punches

_Piper quietly observed as Harry shuffled and readjusted his stance in front of her._

_“Always keep your guard up,” he demonstrated, raising his hands in a defensive position. “A horrible defense leads to a quick, one-sided fight. Make sure to strongly guard your upper half.”_

_“Like this?” she wondered as she tried her hand at mimicking his stance and readjusted herself accordingly._

_“Ball your fists and keep your elbows leveled with your shoulders,” he pointed as he jerked her elbows upwards. “There we go, now, make sure your dominant foot is a step behind- that’s right, just like that. Alright, now try to kick this knife off my hand with all your might, and try not to bend your left knee while doing so.”_

_“I can’t reach that, Harry,” she declared as he raised the knife-bearing hand. “You’re too tall.”_

_“Piper, I’ve seen you disarm and throw men twice your size,” he spoke as-a-matter-of-factly. “I know you could do it. Just build your momentum.”_

_“If you’re fucking around with me-”_

_“You grabbed me by the collar the other night and begged me to give you pointers ,so you could better defend yourself, right?” Harry questioned as he cocked an impatient eyebrow. “Well, here I am. Doing exactly that. Now come on, kick me, and give it all you’ve got.”_

_Piper kept her eyes fixated on the raised knife as she collected herself and readjusted her footwork. Drawing a sharp breath, she swung her foot back as he had instructed before throwing it with all her might towards the knife, dislodging it from Harry’s raised hand and successfully hurling it to the side of the pavement._

_“How’s that for a first attempt?” Harry chuckled as he rubbed at his impacted hand, tending to it. “You’re a natural, and boy can you kick too!”_

_“Better think twice if you’re planning on messing with me,” she huffed proudly. “I’ll kick the living shit out of you, if that’s the case.”_

_“Message received, loud and clear!” he mock-saluted, mirroring the same proud expression on his face. “Now come on, let’s move on to the dirtier tricks of the trade. The basics are just a walk in the park for you.”_

* * *

They’ve been training nonstop for three consecutive days now. _No rest for the wicked, as they’d say._ Her daily regimen was brutal and physically demanding, and Piper was beyond exhausted. Levi had recognized her natural aptitude for omnidirectional maneuver training, and he’d seized every opportunity to test her potential and push her beyond her capabilities. However, the rigorous training was wearing her down, and Piper knew her body was reaching its physical limitations; she needed a fucking break and some time to breathe. 

She spent her entire morning training with Levi in the woods situated directly outside of Trost- he was adamant in beginning their training at the crack of dawn, and she couldn’t refuse. The trees provided the perfect terrain for practicing with the maneuver gear along with testing out a person’s reflexes, and flying through the silent woods at sunrise didn’t seem like such a terrible idea at first despite her body aching and yearning for a few more hours of sleep. Unfortunately, Levi wasn’t planning on letting her off that easy, so he’d decided to spice things up (in his own stubborn, uptight way) by challenging her to keep up with his speed without fully emptying the contents of her gas tanks. This, of course, posed a huge problem for Piper, considering she knew jack shit about maneuver gears and gas consumption.

Sure, she had talent, and she was pretty fast in comparison to her newer counterparts, but she was still a recruit and audaciously green, whereas he had years of training and experience under his belt. Their skills were immensely incomparable, for he was on another level altogether- this she willingly admitted. Hell, Piper was finally beginning to understand the buzz and commotion surrounding the irksome pipsqueak, and the reasons for why Erwin and the other scouts held such high regards for him. 

What seemed like a leisurely trip to the woods and a change of pace in their overbearing schedules ended up becoming an agonizing exercise Piper had to repeat numerous times from the start the moment she fell short of him by a few meters or every time she’d emptied her tanks mid-flight. Besides that, flying and colliding face-first into a huge-ass tree at the speed of about forty miles per hour was another unpleasant experience she had to endure within that morning, and Levi endlessly berating her for her mindlessness instead of lending a hand and assisting her was another factor that drove her on edge. _Seriously, kissing a tree isn’t as thrilling as others would make it out to be._

Piper returned to the barracks almost midafternoon, reeking of sweat, panting like a senile man who was asked to run laps, and missing lunchtime entirely; she was an embarrassing, disheveled mess compared to Levi who had barely broken a sweat. The mess hall was devoid of any other person save for her pitiful presence, and all that was left for her to feast on were scraps and leftovers that had grown cold and stale. 

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” she reminded herself as she occupied one of the empty tables and mindlessly poked at the off-putting mush, uncertain if the contents of her tray were still safe for consumption. Her lamentable meal consisted of stale bread that had hardened from being exposed in the open for too long, soggy gravy rice, cold vegetable scraps, along with what appeared to be a bowl of mushroom or potato soup mixed with corn and some unrecognizable chunks. Honestly, the mushroom puree bore an uncanny resemblance to puke on a bowl, and the bizarre stench reduced her appetite and made her eyes water. 

Piper held her breath as she unwillingly shoved a spoonful of the watery grub into her mouth, holding back the urge to gag as she hurriedly chewed and swallowed. Surprisingly, despite its unappetizing appearance, the overall taste wasn’t as bad as she had expected, and the pent-up tension that was building up in her body left as she relaxed. Piper allowed her thoughts to wander off as she continued to disinterestedly probe her food, vision defocusing as she stared blankly at the negative space in front of her. She savored the bareness of the mess hall as she emptied the contents of her tray, thankful for the lack of company and the mid-afternoon glow that coated the vicinity with a golden hue. She finally had some well-deserved peace, even if it was short-lived.

Piper immediately snapped out of her trance when she caught sight of the doors swinging open from her periphery, and the accompanying sounds of heavy footsteps followed suit as another presence graced the hall. She tried to ignore the stranger and continued to gaze at the opposite end of the table but wound up discreetly watching from the corner of her eye as the approaching figure eventually situated themselves directly in front of her, obscuring the afternoon sunlight that poured forth from the windows and occupying the space she was previously gazing at. 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

 _Ah, it’s Levi._

Her sour mood worsened as she recognized the temperamental captain’s terse voice, her shoulders tensing at his unbelievable query. “Eating my overdue lunch,” Piper responded blandly as she shoved another spoonful of food, keeping her head hung low and her eyes on the miserable tray. “What do you think I’m doing?” 

“Get up,” he demanded, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently as she sipped the unpleasant-looking soup. “We’re beginning close-combat training.” 

“Listen short stack, it’s been a very long morning, I’m tired, and I’m clearly in the midst of shoving this pitiful slobber down my throat,” she muttered in a low voice, trying her absolute best to be civil as she was exhausted beyond measure to engage in another row with him. “Could you give me a moment? We’ve got the rest of the afternoon and the entire evening to do whatever it is you have in mind.”

“I don’t have time. You’re not my only responsibility, brat.” 

“Midget, it’s past lunch- I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday evening, and I haven’t had proper rest for three consecutive days,” Piper continued to argue through gritted teeth as she clenched her fists underneath the table in hopes of suppressing her annoyance. “And would you quit it with that stupid brat pet name of yours? We’re practically the same age.” 

“Did I permit you to take a break?” Levi questioned sternly, the ire in his tone increasing steadily. “You haven’t earned the right, nor have you proven to me that you deserve one given your mediocre performance. Courtyard. _Now_. We’re not finished.” 

“Earned the right?” Piper scoffed, aghast. _Who does this shithead think he is? God? The king?_ _Value-sized Erwin?_ “Earned the fucking right? Your superiority complex is jumping out, pissface. What do you think of me, some kind of slave you could just boss around?” 

“You haven’t proven shit, Brunswick!” Levi angrily raised his voice as he slammed his fist on the table, rattling the plates and catching her off-guard. “The only thing you’ve demonstrated to me these past few days is your delinquency and your disrespectful attitude towards your superiors. Learn your fucking place, cadet.” 

_You’ve got to be kidding me._

_One minute he’s all ‘never have I ever seen such natural potential in a recruit’, then suddenly he’s all ‘you’re worthless scum who’s barely proven anything’?_

_Talk about being a walking contradiction. Make up your mind, dipshit._

“Get your filthy hands off the table,” Piper threatened in a low voice, scowling at his hand and the rattled dishes. “You’re disrupting my lunchtime.” 

Levi didn’t take kindly to her response. Frustrated, he slipped a hand underneath the tray and flipped it over, launching its contents in the air and causing them to splash all over Piper and the table as the bowls crashed down. Bits of the miserable goop also splattered onto Levi’s pristine cravat, leaving behind nasty blotches, and he grimaced as he tried to wipe the gunk away. 

Piper was starving, exhausted, infuriated, and drenched from head to toe and reeking of leftover soup and soggy potatoes. The particles began to harden and dry on her shirt and hair, leaving behind a crusty residue and an icky sensation that clung to her now murky-yellow shirt. Piper sneered as she plucked out some of the rice and corn kernels that stuck to her hair, displeased. “That’s it!” she yelled, shooting up from her seat and harshly yanking Levi’s wrist, knuckles turning white as she squeezed and tightened her grip. “I’ve had enough of this!” 

“Let go of me Piper,” he warned in a hostile tone, scowling when she refused to budge. “I’m warning you.” 

Piper glared back in return before grabbing the end of the tray and hurling it towards Levi who narrowly dodged the projectile. The tray loudly crashed against the frame of the window, denting it and creating a spiderweb of fine cracks along the surface of the bottom pane. “You wanna fight?” she beckoned as she vaulted over the table and tackled him, prompting both of their lean frames to barrel towards the door. “I’ll give you a fight!”

The two of them stumbled out of the entrance and into the field as Levi tried to wrestle Piper off of him. He pried her locked arms off of his waist and elbowed her in the chest as they both lost their footing and fell down the steps, leading her to tumble farther into the field. Piper groaned as she rubbed the back of her head, vision spinning from their jostle. Levi approached and snatched her by the collar of her shirt, forcing her up as he scowled. “You’re insufferable, Brunswick!” he spat, furious. 

“Likewise, _Captain_.” she jeered, grinning smugly at him as her collar crinkled under his firm grip. At this point, she was intentionally adding fuel to the fire. He’d managed to completely ruin her day and put her in the perfect mood to instigate a fight. “You’ve got that charmingly punchable face.” _Close-combat training, you say? I’m more than willing now._

 _Bam!_ It took Piper a second to realize that Levi had struck her, and waves of white-hot pain surged through her face as she was blinded by the blow. The captain refused to allow her to recover from the hit and shifted his grip to the back of her neck as he slammed her face to the ground before forcefully placing his boot on top of her head and gradually pressing down, sandwiching her. 

“That attitude of yours- it sickens me.” he declared indifferently, watching as she squirmed under the weight of his boot. “Likewise, _Captain._ ” Piper repeated her taunting response, prompting him to slam his boot down again and causing her to grunt as she ate a mouthful of dirt. ‘ _Eat shit’, but quite literally. You’re making a big mistake, midget._

“You think you’re better than everyone else- you refuse to abide by the rules, you don’t recognize or respect authority, and you’re always itching to start a fight. You’ve only been around for three whole days, brat, yet you’ve managed to stir up a mess and throw everything askew. I can’t stand by and let that attitude of yours continue.” 

“Thumbelina, you’re the one with the attitude and anger management issues-” 

“You don’t deserve to be in the Survey Corps. A murderer and a delinquent- Erwin should’ve left you in the streets to die.” he retorted, staring her down with his hawkish gaze, steely irises glistening with spite and repulsion. “You’re a waste of time and resources, and I could think of several people- dead or alive- who are more deserving of this opportunity Erwin wasted on you.” 

“You don’t know what it’s like to lose everything you’ve cared for in the blink of an eye,” Piper muttered through gritted teeth, still squirming. “I _never_ wanted this- I never wanted to become whatever it is the noble scum of Mitras and the likes of you prefer to call me, nor did I _ever_ dream about joining this worthless organization consisting of deluded pricks with selfish ambitions and an impractical death wish. Guess what- I never had the luxury of choice; this shitty life, and an unbelievable chain of unfortunate events forced my hand and sealed my fate. You have no idea what I’ve been through, pipsqueak.” 

For a brief moment, Levi seemed taken aback by her response, startled, and Piper noted the shift in his expression. He shook his head and let out another vocal ‘Tch’ as he averted his gaze, the tension in his jaw apparent. “The world doesn’t revolve around you, Butcher. We’ve all experienced our own personal hells,” he stated disapprovingly, digging his boot down. “Just because you were fortunate enough to escape the reparations of your crimes in Mitras doesn’t mean that you’re deserving of this opportunity.” 

_He took the bait._

Don’t get her wrong, her sentiments at that moment were authentic, and she was genuinely agitated at him. However, she needed to draw out their argument and distract Levi from her snaking hand which she carefully positioned around the back of his heel. The momentary diversion was a success, and Piper mentally regarded herself from underneath his boot as she grasped his ankle and twisted it away, knocking him off balance.

Levi recovered by planting his free foot and stabilizing himself before yanking out his captured foot as he tried to steer clear of her move, releasing Piper from her subdued position and shifting the situation to her favor. She swiveled her legs and sprung up with the help of her hands, fuming as she dusted off her pants and her face. “Chat’s been fun, but I’m not one for small talk. Tell me what the hell you want from me.” Piper crisply stated, provokingly cracking her neck and her knuckles.

“Let’s settle this, once and for all.” Levi replied icily as he discarded his jacket to the side- unwilling to soil the piece of uniform any further- and loosened his cravat. “Prove your worth, and prove to me that you deserve to be here. Show me what you’re capable of; one-on-one, no distractions. Give it all you’ve got.” 

“Don’t you dare hold back on me.” she spoke, raising her fists and keeping her elbows leveled to her shoulders as she assumed her fighting stance and prepared herself for the duel that was about to ensue. She watched in anticipation as Levi raised his fists and mimicked her stance, radiating hostility. 

“Let’s dance, Brunswick.” He was terrifyingly agile on his feet. Piper feinted to her left as Levi charged forward, baiting him once again before nimbly turning to his right and angling herself as she prepared to kick him. She straightened her left knee and pivoted her body as she threw her right leg back and swung at full force, the brunt of her leg and the instep of her foot colliding with his arm which he’d raised at the last second. It wasn’t enough to shield him from the blow, and he staggered to the side as she completed the kick. Piper quickly shifted her weight and returned to her defensive stance, preparing to dodge again as Levi recovered and rushed towards her.

Agitated, he swung at her with his right fist, and Piper slid underneath his arm, feeling his fist whoosh past her cheekbone. She grappled his outstretched arm and twisted it, prompting him to throw his unrestrained arm which she caught with ease. Piper righted herself as she pinned his arms behind his back, restraining him and causing him to grunt against her hold. 

“I learned that move when I was a kid,” she mused, twisting both of his arms further as she leaned in and pressed her body against his, feeling the heat that radiated off of him. “Was walking around the plaza square in Mitras when I witnessed this shifty, middle-aged guy restraining an officer using this neat little trick. And then this snotty kid with his sweaty entourage of rejects tried to hit on me the next day, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I tested out the move on him. Idiot lost the sensation in his arms for a month, and never bothered me again ever since that day.”

_Rule number one in a fight, never get ahead of yourself._

_Rule number two in a fight, never let your guard down._

“Imp, I don’t care,” Levi breathed, miffed. Piper had failed to realize that her guard was open and that she was positioned directly behind him, providing him with the perfect opening to strike her. He took his chance and his head back and struck her face, causing her to stumble backwards as the impact blinded her. “And you’re too close to me.” 

Piper shook her head and ran the back of her palm against her nose, grimacing as her blood smudged against it. Distracted and winded, she wasn’t able to predict his succeeding move and ended up eating a strong punch to the gut, making her buckle over and crumple up on the ground on all fours.

“Is that the best you’ve got to offer?” Levi questioned, letting loose a barrage of kicks to her stomach. “Pathetic. I’d expected more from the Butcher of Mitras.” Piper coughed as another blow landed on her ribs, crimson liquid splattering on the ground. She winced at the sharp pain that stabbed at her sides as she gasped for breath, certain that the repeated kicks she’d gotten from Levi just now had aggravated her previous injuries from her scuffle with Nile. _Definitely a broken rib or two,_ she thought as she carefully got up and clutched her sides. 

_I can’t let him land another blow._ Piper angrily watched Levi as she tried to analyze his moves, irritated that she couldn’t figure him out as a person and as a fighter. The pain at her sides was slowing her down, and her breathing was strained; one more hit, and she’d be done for.

And then it dawned on her. 

His weak link was his left foot which he always kept behind him, and he’d preferred to execute every attack with his right side, most likely out of preference or habit. Levi also tended to begin his moves by taking the offensive and charging at her before swiftly upping his guard and switching to the defense. He had the clear advantage every time she positioned herself lower than him, hence why he’d opted to keep his initial attacks low and swift to draw her down to his level before finishing it off with a barrage of heavy kicks; she finally figured him out. 

Just as she had predicted, Levi charged at her and recoiled his right foot as he prepared to sweep the ground below her. Piper inhaled sharply and ignored the searing pain at her sides as she jumped out of the way, giving her the higher ground. It felt as though everything around her was playing out in slow motion as she propped her hand on his shoulder and vaulted over him, forcing him down. As the momentum carried her, Piper buckled and wrapped her legs around his neck, swinging her entire body downwards and maneuvering herself around him before bringing him down and keeping his head locked in-between her thighs. Levi cursed as he tried to pry her legs off of his neck, and Piper responded by flipping herself over and drawing out her balisong at his neck as she pinned him down and climbed on top, breathing heavily. 

“Oh, you’re definitely her alright,” he spat bitterly, a mixed expression manifesting on his face as she pressed the blade down further. “There’s no doubt about it.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Piper probed, jerking the blade as she glared at his cold eyes, searching for answers. She could sense the puzzling look of recognition in his eyes, and a wave of unease surged through her as the haunting familiarity of his piercing gaze gnawed at the back of her mind. _Was it dejavu? Nostalgia? No, this is something else._ “Have we met?” she demanded an answer from Levi as she pressed her balisong down, frantic. 

“It means that I should’ve handed you back to the Military Police the moment I first saw you.” Pinned down and restrained, Levi slammed his knee against Piper’s groin as he tried to dislodge her hold on him, succeeding as she winced in pain and rolled out of the way when he prepared to strike the same region. _This prick has no remorse whatsoever for a woman’s ladybits. Geez._

The two of them scrambled to get back up on their feet as fast as they could, visibly worn-down and exhausted by their physical altercation. Dried blood was smeared all over Piper’s face and hands, and her muscles and joints were overworked and screaming for a break. The pain at her sides had worsened to the point where they were starting to feel uncomfortably numb, and she could feel a nasty lump forming by her brow bone. Levi wasn’t left unscathed either: a small cut had formed at the corner of his lip, and the onset of a purple bruise grazed his temple. Piper flipped her knife backwards and readjusted her grip, hands trembling as her spite overflowed and the tension in the air multiplied.

“I’m warning you,” Levi cautioned, glaring at Piper as they began to circle each other. “Put that thing down.”

“You want me sent to the MP so bad,” she breathed, dauntingly twirling her balisong. “Then fine. I’ll give Erwin a reason to send me back to the Military Police. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you sustained a few stabs along the way.”

“Brunswick! Don’t you dare-” It was too late, and Levi’s warnings fell on deaf ears. Blinded by her rage, Piper entered a frenzy and charged for him, spinning and hacking the knife in the air senselessly as she tried to slice him. She held no restraint and the blade whizzed past his temple, its tip lightly grazing his skin and drawing a thin line of blood. She’d disregarded the form and precision she had in the earlier stage of the fight as she was now hellbent on taking Levi down and finishing things once and for all- she was done playing nice. A gust of air blew past her face as she ducked under him and lunged for his legs, tactics, and thought-out strategies slipping out of her mind as she tried to throw him off-balance.

She’d miscalculated; Levi effortlessly spun out of the way and avoided getting his leg slit open. Piper found herself diving straight into the dirt as she missed her target, so she quickly grabbed his leg strap, resulting in both of them crashing back down onto the ground. The two of them tumbled around the dirt as the fight grew messier, both of them struggling over control and clamoring to get on top of each other to gain the upper hand.

“Give it up, Brunswick!” Levi demanded as he struggled to straddle Piper and restrain her knife-wielding arm, careful not to get slashed by the glinting blade. Piper resisted his hold on her arm and snatched it away, slicing the air and catching his forearm, freshly drawn blood rapidly spreading and staining his light-colored sleeve. “You started this,” she spat, angling the knife as she prepared to stab his side. “I’m finishing it!” 

It was Levi’s turn to be blinded by his rage as he caught her arm mid-air and slammed it down, knocking the knife out of her hand. Piper gasped for air and struggled under his hold as he planted his hand on her face and pushed down, restricting her movement and her vision. It just so happened that two of his fingers were positioned right by her lips, and as a desperate attempt to free herself, Piper caught his fingers and bit down- _hard_ , caring less if she was about to literally bite two of his fingers off. 

Levi screamed in pain as he recoiled his hand, altogether appalled, disgusted, and enraged by her disgusting move. “You piece of shit!” he yelled as his fist connected with her jaw- and then another- and then another, and soon her impending defeat loomed the air as he let loose and pummeled her repeatedly. 

Piper could feel herself numbing with every punch, the searing pain that blanketed her face growing increasingly intolerable as Levi struck her over and over, outraged. Her head was spinning, and it was proving difficult for her to maintain consciousness as she blindly and limply tried to block his fists, but to no avail. It was a humiliating loss against Levi, one that didn’t sit well with her as the frenzied punches continued. By the looks of it, it seemed like she was about to lose not just her dignity, but her life too as he showed no sign of stopping; it felt like her entire face was about to cave in, and she was starting to choke on her own blood too. 

“Erwin over there!” a voice- Julia’s- yelled from across their position. Levi momentarily halted his punches as he snapped his attention towards the source of the outcry, and Piper wearily opened a swollen eye and saw Julia pointing towards their direction as she, Hanji, and Erwin bolted outside of the main doors. Hanji’s eyes were filled with panic and concern as the two of them resumed their fight and continued to tostle around the ground, exchanging blows and filled with overbrimming hatred for each other. 

“What’s the meaning of this?” Erwin angrily called as he rushed towards them. “That’s enough! Both of you!”

“Your stupid bitch nearly stabbed me to death with a fucking knife!” Levi hissed in the middle of throwing another punch while Piper kicked, ramming his thigh. “She nearly bit my fingers off too!” he added, responding to Piper’s kick with a backhand slap which prompted both Erwin and Hanji to interfere and break up the fight that was spiraling out of control.

“You started all of this,” Piper struggled in-between words, coughing and wheezing as they both clawed at each other, struggling to see through her swollen eyes. “Just because I decided to eat my bloody lunch!”

“Levi that’s enough-” Piper felt a strong pair of hands position themselves under her shoulders as Erwin attempted to pull her away from the outraged captain who was being held back by Hanji. “That’s enough!” he demanded to Piper when she continued to blindly thrash, mistaking Erwin’s steady arms for Levi’s.

“Let go of me, four-eyes,” he spat, dislodging himself from Hanji as he tried to dive for Piper, only to be held back again. “I have a score to settle with this brat!” 

“Come on now, why don’t you guys just talk this out over a cup of tea?” Hanji insisted, distancing themselves as Erwin carefully positioned Piper. “Piper, can you hear me?” he questioned, worried as he held her bloodied head up and grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket, holding it against her nose that was bleeding profusely. “How bad is it?”

“I’m fine,” she coughed, blood trickling down to her eyes which were watering due to the swelling and making it even harder for her to see. “Just a little winded.”

“Halt the sarcasm for once, Brunswick. You’re not fine.”

Piper roughly hacked and coughed as searing shots of pain jabbed at her sides, spittle mixed with her crimson blood accidentally splattering against Erwin’s concerned face. The commander didn’t flinch against the warm fluid that trickled down his cheek and simply continued to aid her without complaint as he continued to hold the handkerchief up against her nose in order to stop the bleeding.

“Take her to the infirmary, quick!” he demanded to Hanji who was still holding Levi back, worried. She was reluctant to let go of him at first, thinking that he would jump back into the fray once she released him, but when Levi clicked his tongue and sat himself down in resignation, Hanji immediately rushed to Piper’s side and slung her arm on her shoulder before taking off towards the infirmary. 

The two of them overheard a terse exchange start between Levi and Erwin as they limped off, the commander lividly demanding a logical explanation from the captain as for why the two of them were brawling. Hanji shook her head and chuckled to herself as she pushed the door open and slowly assisted Piper inside, passing soldiers glancing worriedly at her battered state. “Nothing to see here!” Hanji hollered, waving them off as they carried on. “Please ignore us. Nothing out of the ordinary here!”

“Nothing out of the ordinary?” Piper croaked, amused at her crutch’s futile attempt in driving off unwanted attention. “You’re telling me _this_ is a typical sight?”

“Oh shut it, I’m trying to do you a little favor here,” Hanji laughed, pulling her close as they continued to awkwardly limp towards their destination. “Besides, that little man really doesn’t know how to pull his punches. He really took his anger out on you.” 

“As he should,” Piper scoffed as Hanji accidentally tugged at her arm, straining her sides and causing her to wince as the pain throbbed. “I didn’t pull any of my punches either.” 

“You guys really are a match made in heaven.”

“What did you say?” _Am I hearing things or is four-eyes seriously doing this right now?_

“Nothing! I said nothing.” Hanji dismissed as she abruptly pushed her glasses back up her nose bridge as they entered the infirmary.

“Levi’s doing?” their resident nurse raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Pipe’s horrible state. “Who else would it be?” Hanji chuckled as she aided Piper to the bed, watching as the nurse approached while clutching multiple medicine bottles and treated dressings. “It’s like a form of initiation by now.”

“Commander Erwin needs to tell him to lay off,” she aired, tilting Piper’s chin and observing the cuts and bruises that peppered her face as she carefully cleaned them with a cotton swab treated with alcohol and iodine. “I swear, more than half of the team will be out of commission before the year ends just because they got into an outmatched brawl with him- raise your shirt, please.”

Piper obliged and lifted her shirt, careful not to hit her tender sides as the nurse shifted her attention towards her ribs, occasionally pressing a gentle yet firm hand on the area to accurately diagnose the extent of her injuries. After the quick yet thorough examination, she shook her head and began wrapping Piper’s torso with treated gauze before hurriedly plotting down the final diagnosis on her clipboard.

“Two broken ribs on your right side, severe swelling and bruising on multiple parts of your face and upper torso, a hairline fracture on your cheekbone and nose bridge, and you’ve also got a sprain on your right wrist,” she deadpanned, startling Hanji who worriedly glanced at Piper. “I’m ordering you to stay out of commission for a month, recruit. Absolutely no physical training or activities whatsoever within that period, unless you’d want to aggravate your injuries or make them permanent.”

_Nice one, shorty._

“I’m also putting you under strict bed rest for an entire week, to help speed up your healing process,” she continued as she secured the gauze bandages she’d placed on Piper’s ribs with cloth wraps. “Take these painkillers shortly after every meal, and apply the cream on the afflicted areas twice a day to ease the swelling. I’ll be sending this detailed report to the commander, so he could be aware of your current situation. Feel free to escort her back to her quarters, Hanji.” 

“Shit Pipes,” Hanji breathed as she carefully slung Piper’s arm over her shoulder, concerned. “He got you good.”

“Which is exactly why I have to tell Commander Erwin to tell Captain Levi to take it easy on our recruits,” the nurse sighed, running a frustrated hand through her dark cropped hair. “Seriously, this’ll affect our recruitment numbers if word gets out.”

“Ah, I’m sure it won’t.” Hanji called out as they both limped towards the exit. “We’ll be on our way now. Thanks for saving this girl’s bony ass.” 

“You bitch-”

“Hush Pipes, you’re injured. Don’t exert yourself too much.” Hanji was surprisingly caring towards her, despite having only known her for a few days. Their last substantial interaction occurred back to when Piper had first arrived in their headquarters; they hadn’t seen or interacted with each other since that day. Sure four-eyes- as Levi preferred to call her- was a little too eccentric for Piper’s liking, but she’d been the only one to show genuine concern and warmth towards her lately; maybe she wasn’t so bad after all. “I love what you did with the hair, by the way,” she smiled, gently tugging Piper’s half-braid. “What prompted the change?”

“Pipsqueak told me to cut it. There’s nothing more to it,” Piper flatly replied, taking her time on the steps as they headed up the staircase that led to their quarters. “You really took a beating over there. Are you sure you’re alright?” Hanji continued to press, helping her up as they finally approached the hallway leading to their quarters. 

“It’s just some broken ribs and a few purple bruises. Nothing too severe or life-threatening.” 

“Piper, a broken rib is a serious matter,” the brunette emphasized, holding out the door for her as she stepped inside of her room. “But then again, this is the perfect opportunity for me to pursue that research I’ve been figuring out. I could use you as a subject! I could closely monitor your recovery and compare your recovery rate from that of titans. An in-depth analysis and observation of your injured anatomy could help me draw comparisons and derivations to that of the titans since they _are_ humanoid creatures, and it could probably help me figure out why it takes them minutes, or even seconds to recover from injuries, whereas it takes us weeks or even months, depending on the severity. Would you be down to be included in my current research? It’s nothing big as of late, but I’m sure it’ll gain Erwin’s attention once he sees the information we could gather from this- I should probably get Moblit on board too. How about it?” 

“You’re rambling,” Piper grimaced, rubbing her neck as she leaned on the wall and supported herself. “But yeah sure, whatever. If it’ll shut you up.” 

“Just make sure to take it easy okay, Pipes?” she beamed, gently patting her shoulder. “I could tell there’s something special about you. It’d be a waste if your time with us got cut short because you overexerted yourself- also a waste of a valuable subject too, and we don’t want that.”

“I’m not crippled, owl-eyes. Don’t patronize me.”

“Same sense of humor too.” Hanji mumbled to herself.

“What?”

“I _said_ I’m just around the corner if you need anything,” Hanji winked as she headed for the door. “I’ll be leaving your door wide-open, so Julia could check on you. But if you need anything, just scream at the top of your lungs! I’m just around the corner!” _Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather not damage my vocal cords too._

Piper made her way towards the table the moment Hanji left her view, quietly searching among the neatly arranged books for the one she’d tucked her old photograph in. She scoffed to herself when she realized that she had ironically placed the image inside of her old journal, and proceeded to take the photograph and the worn book along with her to the bed, suddenly feeling the need to browse through its old entries. 

_January 31, 838. Julia and Harry decided to bake me a cake, as a gesture of kindness_ , she read to herself as she lay down on the bed, softly chuckling. _It tasted like shit, but I chose not to say anything. Didn’t want to rob that look of achievement from Harry’s face; he was really proud of that monstrosity. I still stand by the fact that it’s better off as fertilizer instead of cake, but he doesn’t need to know about that. At least Aidan’s keeping his mouth shut._

_Note to self: make sure to take on jobs during your succeeding birthdays to avoid ‘taste testing’ crusty cakes that taste like an old bastard’s sweaty armpit._

“That was one horrible-tasting cake,” she recalled, grinning as she fondly stroked the worn image. Piper intended to continue flipping through the rest of her old journal’s contents instead of resting just like the nurse had instructed, but the sound of footsteps along the corridor alerted her of another approaching presence, making her sigh irritatedly as she plopped down on the bed, pretending to have fallen asleep in the middle of reading through her journal as she let the photograph and book lay on top of her chest. Piper tried her best to stay as still as possible and kept her eyes shut as the footsteps made its way inside her room before hesitating a little past her door. She heard shuffling, accompanied by an exasperated sigh, and then the footsteps resumed before halting directly beside her bed. 

She could feel the intruder staring at her and the journal she’d left open, and Piper felt awkward as the figure shuffled and sighed again. _Okay, maybe keeping the journal open for the entire world to see wasn’t the brightest idea_ , she thought as the figure continued to quietly scuffle, evidently trying their best not to stir her awake. 

Piper nearly flinched when she felt a hand lightly lift the journal from her chest, embarrassed since the stranger in her room was most probably skimming through her private writings. _It’s probably just Julia_ , she reassured to herself, discreetly gulping when she heard a page turn. _But then again, that doesn’t make it better, considering the entry I was just reading._ A few seconds passed, and she finally heard the figure close the book before placing it on her nightstand, and footsteps sounded throughout her room again as they made their way over to the door. The figure hesitated again, and Piper sensed that they were staring at her once more before the footsteps finally resumed and headed out to the hall.

Piper allowed a good minute or two to pass before opening her eyes, taking extra precaution just in case her intruder decided to return. At once, she noticed the additional item that was placed on her nightstand- a crisp, folded piece of paper that smelled faintly of tea leaves, resting on top of her now-closed journal. Curious, she plucked the note from its place and unfolded it, observing the neat script that decorated the page as she skimmed through and quietly read the thought-out message. 

_Piper,_

_Consider this a formal apology on my behalf._

_You stood your ground and held your own; not bad at all. What you did earlier was unforgivable, and your dirty tricks are inexcusable. You’re a soldier now: act like one and fight like one._

_Still, I should’ve restrained myself instead of aggravating the situation further, and I shouldn’t have kept you from eating your lunch or taking a momentary breather. It was wrong for me to drive you to exhaustion._

_The nurse gave you orders to rest. Don’t be stupid. If I catch you working your stubborn ass off or doing some irresponsible shit outside, I’m assigning you to cleaning duty for two months once you’re given the all-clear. I’m sure Erwin wouldn’t mind you scrubbing the living hell out of those moldy bathroom floors._

_I want you at your full potential within a month’s time. Capiche?_

_Knock on my door if you need anything. I trust you know your way around by now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Piper couldn't catch a break lmao. 
> 
> I'm also very sorry that this chap took a while >_< College has officially started for me and it is literally kicking me in the ass. Future updates might slow down as well since I'm still trying to figure out a perfect schedule that could balance both my college work and other extracurriculars. 
> 
> As a treat, I decided to make my official Piper playlist public, so you guys could check it out too if you want. It's pretty much the playlist I listen to every time I try to write a chapter here, and it's appropriately filled with songs I attribute to Piper or this fic as a whole. It's got a bit of a indie folk-alt vibe to it, save for one EDM song I included due to nostalgic reasons lmao. It's also still a work in progress, so I'll be adding/removing songs every now and then. 
> 
> [ Check it out here if you want :) ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Dy5cn0VB7StkjlwkMKy6?si=vQiWyrl7TvCgMgCxMJ5luQ)


	7. Tricks of the Trade, and Everything In-Between

_Paperwork: the most dreadful task in the history of mankind, and the bane of any sane person’s existence._

_You’d have to be a full-blown psychopath to consider filing paperwork as a form of relaxation._

Formal writing (emphasis on the word _formal_ ) was never- and will never be- one of Piper’s interests. She dreaded the notion of accomplishing paperwork since the dawn of time; essays and research papers felt like an unnecessary chore, and Piper never dared to consider pursuing the field of academic writing. She detested writing down words for others to see and criticize. Sure, word vomiting and scribbling on a private journal to let out repressed emotions was highly therapeutic, but writing to objectively divulge essential information or newfound discoveries was torturous. 

Piper set the pencil down and slumped back on her seat, demotivated. She’d been staring blankly at the sheet of paper in front of her for several minutes now, stuck in the same sentence as she struggled to seamlessly continue her train of thought. Her ideas were scattered, and each paragraph she skimmed over hardly made sense. Besides, it was far too early in the morning (at least for her) for academic lectures and structured essays, and her mind was clearly unwilling to cooperate. 

She tore her gaze from the cursed report and turned her attention towards the large window, staring outside and allowing her thoughts to wander as she watched the clouds lazily roll by. The weather was comfortingly pleasant; the sun was out, and the cool breeze kept the temperature at bay, making it the perfect day for outdoor training. Piper listened to the faint commotion of officers barking orders to cadets, along with the distinct high-pitched whirr of recoiling wires as she watched Julia and the other scouts carry on with their training, envious that she couldn’t join them given her current state. 

More than a week had passed since her altercation with Levi, and her condition had significantly improved since then. Her ribs however were still in pretty bad shape, and she was still unfit for duty. Piper had no choice but to accept the commander’s alternative of assigning her with numerous academic lectures and a boatload of paperwork for a month. Erwin explained- or rather, insisted that it was the only way to compensate for her time off the field, but Piper couldn’t shake the feeling that her ‘alternative activities’ for the time being doubled as a partial reprimand, considering that even Levi was stuck with her on paper duties. Erwin undoubtedly went out of his way to ensure that Levi would personally oversee her lessons full-time and focus on nothing else within that period. Needless to say, Piper was pretty certain that neither of them enjoyed spending most of their time confined in the lecture hall. 

“Hey,” Levi called from right beside her, snapping Piper out of her trance and drawing her attention back to the room as he whacked the back of her head with a rolled-up field report. “Focus. That paper isn’t going to write itself.” 

Piper shook her head and turned to face him, disinterested and bored out of her wits. “Alright, I’m sure you could tell just from my expression that I really don’t see the point in all of this, but just in case you can’t, let me say it out loud for you.” she said flatly, looking him dead in the eye. 

“What’s the point of all this?” Piper grumbled, gesturing towards the stack of papers in front of her and the blackboard which was filled to the brim with various topics and notes. “Think about it. How will knowing how to properly write a structured field report lessen my chances of being gobbled up by a titan in the middle of a mission?” 

_Not like you could fight a titan with words. Those idiots couldn’t even understand a thing we say._

_Do those things even have a brain?_

“Everyone in the regiment has to submit a written report at some point in time, whether you like it or not,” Levi replied as he tried to iron out the paper he’d rolled up. “Besides, this information will be useful to you in the future. It’ll help you gain a better understanding of your surroundings and what you’re up against.” 

“Yeah, I get that. It helps you become more efficient in strategizing and critical thinking, making you an intellectual soldier- brains before brawn, as they’d say,” she countered, pushing back her chair as she stretched her legs. “But when you’re in the heat of battle and the panic kicks in, all rational thinking goes out the fucking window, and the only thing you’ll be doing is flying around and swinging your blades in hopes of killing that naked, ravenous bitch that’s about to bite your head off.” 

“With that kind of shit-filled thinking, you’re bound to get your head bit off within the first five minutes you step out of these walls.”

“Thanks for the charming reassurance, midget, but I still don’t see the point in all of this,” Piper scoffed, casting him a sidelong glance. “What I’m saying is that we’re both better off doing something more physically active since this whole thing’s stagnating us.” 

“Did I rattle your brain earlier?” Levi cocked an eyebrow and re-rolled the report he’d just flattened, whacking Piper in the head again and prompting her to react with a soft “Hey!” as she tried to shield herself before flashing him an annoyed glare. “That should’ve knocked some sense into you. Now hurry up and resume that report, you’ve been staring at the same sentence for nearly half an hour now.”

“Midget, hear me out.” Piper was starting to get desperate as she resented the idea of continuing the dreadful essay until the end of the day. “I’m clearly wasting your precious time here- my mind’s swimming in crap today and I can’t finish this stupid thing. So, why don’t we just set this aside for now and head outside for a breath of fresh air?”

“You’re not leaving until you accomplish that summary.”

“Come on, we’ve got an entire month to do this,” she argued, rolling her eyes as Levi continued to shake his head in refusal. “There’s absolutely no need to accomplish a mock-report about different terrain surveys within the day. Besides, the weather outside’s perfect. You could go for a walk or whatever, while I’ll go and catch up with the others by the training dummies. How’s that?” 

“You could barely walk in a straight line,” Levi pressed, setting down his papers. “And now you’re asking me to let you train with the others? Your head really is swimming in a sea of shit today.”

“Can’t I at least go out and spectate?”

“And risk you taking off with the gear when I’m not looking? Not a chance, imp.”

“I swear on whatever it is you patriotic scouts swear on that I won’t escape with the gear when you’re not looking. Now, will you let me out?”

“The field’s busy today, you might get hurt.” he sighed, letting out that signature ‘Tch’ as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Someone might run into you and aggravate those injuries.” 

“Oh? Is that genuine concern coming from you? I’m flattered.”

“Get back to work, Brunswick. I mean it.” 

“Alright, fine. I’ll work on this wretched report,” Piper mumbled, defeated. “But only because you’ve shown that you’re capable of some level of concern.” The mocking, yet light-hearted remark earned her another whack in the head as Levi shook his head and resumed his work, and she scoffed to herself as she returned to her unfinished paper, amused. She’d noticed that his attitude and demeanor towards her had changed. He wasn’t as stoic and indifferent as before, and it felt as if the thick air of unease that settled between them since day one had cleared ever so slightly. 

_Warmer- that's the word. He’s warmer now, and surprisingly less… uptight. Truth be told, I didn’t think it would be possible for this colder-than-ice midget to thaw out._ It baffled Piper how he’d suddenly become more approachable and understanding to her. She knew he detested her presence in this regiment and resented having to be associated with her, but oddly enough, that wasn’t quite the case anymore. Sure, they were far from being chummy drinking buddies, but at least some sense of civility or basic human decency had been established somewhere down the line. _Maybe it was during the fight? Who knows. It looked like he’d realized something important in the middle of it._

Levi was certainly a very complicated individual to decipher, and she had yet to figure out why being around him felt so familiar, yet at the same time not. It was hard to explain, but the enigmatic shroud that clung to him was electrifying, drawing her closer and keeping her on edge when he was around. She felt it before, and it was incomprehensibly comforting, yet at the same time damning. Besides, Piper knew that Levi had his fair share of secrets, and she was certain- most especially now- that those secrets of his carried the answers to all her burning questions regarding his intriguing background. 

“The people in your journal,” Levi blurted from out of the blue, facing Piper and breaking her train of thought. “Who were they to you?” She dipped her head down and tried to fixate her attention on her work, praying that he wouldn’t notice the blood that was rushing to her cheeks as she recalled him entering her room and lingering around for a while, unaware that she was feigning being asleep. _Alright, I’ll play this game, since you think barging into people’s rooms unannounced and snooping into their personal effects is a typical thing to do._

“First of all, who told you and convinced you that entering my room while I was passed out was a good idea?” she shot, glaring at him. “And you had the audacity to snoop into my personal belongings while I was unaware that you were even there, to begin with? Seriously, what is wrong with you?” 

“Relax, imp. That was the only thing I saw. You passed out with your journal wide open. It was near impossible for me not to catch a glimpse of the page,” he responded, gesturing for her to calm down as he explained his side of the story. “And to set things straight, if I had it my way, I wouldn’t have gone to your room in the first place. Erwin asked me to check on you and personally apologize for the incident since you’re my responsibility. That’s all there is to it.” 

Piper wasn’t convinced that that was the entire truth behind his visit, considering that she could vividly recall him hearing him linger by her bedside for a good minute or two, but he sounded genuinely apologetic for the intrusion. She decided not to press the issue further and dug for the picture she’d kept in the pocket of her jacket since that day, sliding it across the surface of the table as she exhaled and tugged at her half braid. “They’re a thing of the past,” she said, watching as Levi gently picked up the aged photograph, flipping it back and forth and examining the image and its messy, faded inscription.

“This thing, whatever this is,” he explained, drumming his fingers on the surface of the table as he repeatedly shifted his gaze from the image to Piper, probably comparing her current appearance to that from the photograph. _Yeah, I get it. Barely anything’s changed, and I still look like a petrified corpse. Move along, bastard. Quit staring at me like that._ “It’s impossibly realistic. The details in this are too crisp to be considered a drawing or painting of sorts. What is it?”

_Photograph. That’s what Harry called it._

Piper recalled the day Harry went home late and welcomed them with the foreign mechanism. The strange-looking device that appeared to have a mini-telescope or lens of sorts puzzled everyone, so Harry rambled on about the device being capable of capturing and bending light before ‘burning’ the image onto what was called a film, hence creating what he called a photograph. 

_“Don’t tell anyone about it,”_ he said to them as he prepared them for the picture and loaded the film cartridge into the main body. _“My source says it’s a device from a district beyond the walls. It’s a one-of-a-kind artifact, and it’ll be our little secret.”_

_I’ll take our little secret to the grave, don’t worry._

“It’s a damn good painting, what else could it possibly be?” Piper lied, hoping Levi would bite the lame excuse she was about to fabricate. “One of our clients made that in exchange for our services. Had a great eye for detail, that one, and it still baffles me up to this day as to why he never made it big. I hear those prissy nobles in Mitras _love_ getting their portraits done.” _Now who in their right mind would accept a painting as a form of compensation when they’re barely scraping by? Way to go, Piper._

“Do you miss them?” the question took Piper by surprise. The words felt and sounded heavy for some reason, and there was the faintest hint of longingness in his deep eyes as if he were recalling someone or something that was lost in his past.

_All the time._

“Sometimes,” Piper righted herself and aimlessly flipped to the next page of the report, steeling herself and refraining from showing any indication that the memories of her dead friends still troubled her. It was a sensitive topic and another moment of vulnerability which she refused to show or admit to him. “But there’s no point in dwelling on people who are long gone; it’s best to move on. That’s all you’re getting out of me.” 

_Liar._

“If that’s the case,” he said, sliding the photograph back towards her workspace. “Let’s change the topic: how are your sides?” 

_Now that’s just too abrupt of a switch._ “Could be better,” Piper replied, shrugging her shoulders as she cusped the tender injury. _Aren’t you a little too friendly today, midget?_ “Still stings like a bitch every time I breathe, but it’s manageable. What about you? How’s the arm?”

“Could be worse. You did quite the number on me last week. I’m impressed.” 

“Well aren’t you talkative today,” Piper noted amusingly whilst pondering which succeeding point to expound on in the essay as she tried to maintain her focus. “You know, you’ve been doing a pretty good job of distracting me from this exercise for the past couple of minutes now. Who are you and what have you done to the grumpy midget with anger management issues?”

“I’ve always been talkative,” Levi deadpanned, handing Piper another fresh piece of paper as she’d managed to fill up the entire page, albeit messily. “People say I’m quite the conversation starter.”

“You? Talkative?” she scoffed, fighting back the urge to snicker obnoxiously and lose her composure right there and then when she felt her sides flare up. _Please, even my mother’s dusty skeleton’s more expressive than you._ “I find that hard to believe, considering that permanent look of disgust plastered on your face, short stack. But maybe if we squeeze a few bottles of booze down your system… Just maybe… I’ve got this feeling that you’re quite the atrocious chatterbox when intoxicated.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Is that a challenge for me, midget?” Piper questioned dauntingly, leaning forward before quickly darting back to her space when approaching footsteps echoed from outside the room. Both of them turned their heads and simultaneously faced the door, anticipating the person to enter.

“Mind if I come in?” a gruff voice politely asked, and three knocks sounded from the door as the figure pushed it open and stepped inside the room, revealing himself to be Mike, the same soldier who had accompanied Erwin and assisted Julia during their incident in Mitras. “Fine morning to you two,” he greeted, leaning on the door as he surveyed the two of them and the clutter that was sprawled all over the tables, brows furrowed. “Bad time to drop by? Am I interrupting something important?”

“Nothing substantial,” Levi replied, leaving his seat to approach the broad soldier that towered over him. “We were just familiarizing ourselves with mission reports. What brings you here? Shouldn’t you be outside training with the rest of the squad?”

“Just checking in on you,” Mike chuckled, crossing his arms as he glanced at Piper who was engrossed in accomplishing the report. “Haven’t seen you around in meetings or training this entire week. Busy?”

“Erwin’s asked me to oversee Brunswick’s classroom studies for the rest of the month while she’s recuperating. You won’t be seeing both of us out in the field anytime soon.”

“I heard about the fight from Hanji. What happened?”

“Damn four-eyes can’t keep her mouth shut.” Levi cursed, rubbing his temples in irritation. Piper shook her head and smirked to herself as she kept writing, sensing what seemed to be irritation and slight embarrassment from Levi’s end. “We had a disagreement.”

“A disagreement?” Mike repeated slowly, casting a suspicious look at Levi before glancing again at Piper. “Is that right Brunswick? Was it really just a disagreement?” 

Piper paused and blankly stared at the two men by the door. “Yeah, I guess,” she shrugged, brushing off his query, unwilling to dive into further detail. _It’s not just Levi’s dignity that’s on the line here_. “Disagreement, misunderstanding, whatever you want to call it. But don’t worry, we’re all good now, right?” 

“Tch.” Levi brushed past Mike and retrieved the chalk that was placed behind the door, occupying himself with jotting down even more information on the blackboard. “Might as well introduce yourself to the imp, now that you’re here.” he mentioned monotonously to the dirty blond as he began illustrating and labeling diagrams accordingly.

“Right, I don’t think I’ve had the chance to properly introduce myself to you since the day we first met,” Mike said, walking over to Piper who stood up to acknowledge him. “I’m Mike Zacharias.” 

Piper craned her neck upwards to get a better look at the towering man, only to be taken by surprise when he suddenly swooped down and sniffed the top of her head. She froze in place, startled and mouth agape when he began to sniff out even her clothes. She began to contemplate the idea of defensively ramming her knee up his groin to get him to stop; thankfully, Mike retracted himself before she got the chance to introduce herself with her knee, relieving her.

“Vanilla, knife grease, and traces of peaches,” he remarked, pleased with himself as he smirked in satisfaction. “Quite the interesting combination of scents if you ask me.” 

“I see your nose really lives up to its reputation,” Piper sighed, disgusted and perplexed as she stretched out a hand for him to shake. “But could we limit the introductions to greetings and handshakes, you know, like regular people?” 

Mike simply snorted and briefly took her hand, shaking it before letting go and turning his attention back to Levi. 

“You’re out of luck,” Levi commented, entertained by the exchange. “Mike’s far from a regular person.” 

_I’m surrounded by peculiar idiots._

“Could’ve given me a heads up and spared me the horror, at least.” she mumbled, disgusted as she sat back down and analyzed the additional diagrams and notes he had written on the board. Levi scoffed and shrugged at her. “Now where’s the fun in that?” he replied, the corner of his mouth faintly twitching upwards. Piper sneered and flashed him an obscene gesture before bringing herself back to the report, passive-aggressively muttering “Go fuck yourself, midget.” to herself as she begrudgingly carried on with the unfinished task. 

Mike’s ears were as keen as his nose. The tall brute managed to overhear Piper’s brash retort and cracked a smile, charmed by her cutting demeanor. “I like this one,” he huffed, leaning on the edge of the long desk as he addressed Levi, already noticing the distinct similarities between the two. “She’s got bite, just like you.”

“Being compared to strawberry shortcake with anger management issues over there has got to be the biggest insult-”

“Less talk, more writing, imp.” Levi interjected, shushing her as he tried to converse with Mike and motioned for him to move to the farther side of the room. “Now, at least make this visit of yours more substantial for me by giving me the rundown of everything that’s happened so far,” he demanded to him, his chilling rigidness returning in an instant. “First and foremost, how’s Hartmann doing?”

Piper’s ears perked at the mention of Julia’s name; she hadn’t heard much from Julia within the week. The redhead had frequented Piper’s room and took it upon herself to routinely check on her and keep her company during that time, but she’d never discussed her training with Piper. _She probably thought it was a sensitive topic to dwell on, considering that I’m grounded for a month._ Piper found herself getting distracted once more as she discreetly tuned in on the two men’s conversation, eager to know what exactly about Julia were they discussing.

“I’ll be honest with you, Levi,” Mike started, his tone grim. “Things aren’t looking too bright for Julia. The girl’s got potential, just like Piper, but she’s lagging behind the rest.”

“Lagging how?”

“Hartmann’s still struggling with omnidirectional training. I had to bring her back to the mock gear because she collided into another recruit mid-flight and nearly fell to her death a few days ago. Not only that- she’s not faring well in physical training either.”

“That’s surprising, considering her background,” Levi remarked, slightly troubled by the news. “Unless most of the information in her dossier is exaggerated.”

“She’s skilled in other aspects,” Mike replied, shaking his head. “For one, she’s quick with her hands- too quick, to be precise, and she’s an excellent archer. Realistically speaking, those skills won’t do her any good in a mission. I’ve been dedicating more time to closely supervise and guide her during training, but I don’t think it’s enough. She’s falling behind schedule, and if this keeps up, we won’t have a choice but to surrender her back to the Military Police.”

_Over my dead body._

There it was again; that odious, indescribable feeling of dread, grief, and frustration mixing together and bubbling at the pits of her stomach, steadily rising through her system as the troubling news sunk in. Piper angrily bit her lip as she fought back the urge to yell at them for considering the outlandish option of sending Julia back to the pit of vipers. If worse comes to worst, doing so would be the equivalent of signing her death warrant, and Piper couldn’t let it come to that. They’d both gambled way too much just to escape the verdict of their past actions.

The flurry of cynical thoughts wracked the back of Piper’s head, clouding her peace of mind. She was too absorbed in her contemplation that she’d failed to realize just how tightly she’d been gripping her pencil. All this time, she’d been digging it down against her paper, causing its tip to chip off and break against the heavy pressure it had to endure. Her hand trembled as she clenched harder, its wooden body splintering under the tremendous force. The pencil finally gave in and snapped in half, its sound resonating through the room and catching the attention of the other two soldiers as the broken pieces scattered away. Piper gasped at the sudden realization and reached for the shattered pencil, disconcerted by her loss of control.

“Everything alright?” Mike asked, a mixture of surprise and concern displayed on his face. The two men had halted their discussion completely and were now fixated on her, curious as to what could’ve caused the sudden outburst. Piper squirmed and tried to collect herself as she plucked at the splinters that had lodged themselves on her palm. “It’s nothing,” she replied shakily through gritted teeth. “Just lost my train of thought since this stupid paper’s finally getting on my nerves.”

Levi kept silent, but Piper could tell just from the way he’d looked at her that he knew what had ticked her off in that instant. That, or she was painstakingly obvious. She’d been uncharacteristically emotional these past few weeks, anyways.

“Ah, it’s that type of anger when you can’t seem to put your thoughts into words,” Mike chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m all too familiar with the struggles of accomplishing paperwork against your own volition. Why don’t you go and give yourself a short break if your head’s running out of ideas?”

“No, I’m fine.” she insisted, brushing off his concern. _Do me a favor here, sniffer. Just finish your damn conversation, so I could finally focus_. Mike simply nodded in acknowledgement before heading for the door, Levi following in tow as they resumed their discussion. “Now, as I was saying, Julia’s not a lost cause, we just have to double down in her training. As much as possible, I’d like to avoid the outcome of sending her back to the capital. All this would’ve been for nothing.”

“There’s not much we could do for Hartmann if the current exercises I laid out for her aren’t sufficing,” Levi grimaced as he held the door for Mike. “We’ll just have to accept that she isn’t suited for the job and move on.”

“There’s not much you could do for Hartmann since you’ve got your hands full at the moment.” Mike countered, clicking his tongue in disapproval. “Let me take some of that workload off your hands. I can oversee Julia’s one-on-one training for you. My squad at the moment is like a bunch of sitting ducks, we'd appreciate some extra work. Anyways, I could let Nanaba take over any menial task that may spring up.”

Levi fell silent as he contemplated Mike’s offer. From what Piper gathered, Mike appeared to be another senior officer Erwin closely relied on. Allowing him to take over Julia’s training wasn’t necessarily a bad idea, but then again, Erwin surely had his own set of reasons for strictly placing her and Julia under Levi’s watch. Piper turned to the door and stared at them, eager to hear the final verdict. 

“Then it’s settled. Look after Julia for me,” Levi stated as he returned to his seat right beside Piper and retrieved the report he’d set aside. “At least I could focus entirely on my lectures with this brat over here.”

_Now that doesn’t sound so great. Good news for Julia, and bad news for me, as usual. I’ll be stuck with this shithead more often now._

“Oh, I can’t wait to bore myself to death with you.” she sighed, clicking her tongue as she slumped in her seat. Mike flashed her a pitiful smile before letting out a hearty laugh, and Levi simply shook his head as he snatched the paper she’d been working on.

“Before I forget, Hanji’s looking for the both of you,” Mike announced, clearing his throat. “That woman’s been itching to talk to you two for quite some time now. Would you mind sharing a meal or two with her later, so she could finally shut up and leave me alone?” 

“Go tell four-eyes to find a more productive hobby instead of pestering others during her pastime,” Levi responded, evidently unable to stand her boisterous presence. “I’m busy.”

“What about you, Piper? Just a few minutes?” Mike pleaded, desperate. Piper scoffed and simply shook her head in refusal, mirroring Levi’s displeasure and unwillingness to interact with the overzealous and eccentric woman. “I prefer eating on my own.”

“It’s unsettling how terrifyingly similar the both of you are,” he sighed, turning on his heel and closing the door behind him as he left. “I’ll pass the news to her and probably get Moblit to find her something to obsess over for the time being, so we could all have some peace of mind.”

“Back to work, Piper.” Levi ordered once Mike was out of earshot as he returned the report he’d examined, disappointment written all over his face. “You’ve got a lot of revising to do. Better start now if you don’t wanna miss out on lunch again.”

“Seriously?” Piper snatched the paper from his hands and glossed over it, unwilling to do the entire process all over again. “Come on, give me a break now, will you? My ass is going numb from sitting too long.”

“Seriously. Redo it from the very beginning,” he demanded, fed up as he brought back the infamous rolled-up report and whacked her in the head again. “It’s shit. Organize your flow of ideas and keep your thoughts precise. You’ll bore Erwin to death with this.”

“God I hate you so much,” she spat, defeated. “You know that, right?”

“Less talk, more writing.”

“You’re fucking insufferable, midget.”

“For the last time Piper, focus.” Levi sighed, ditching the paper as he abruptly yet gently grabbed the back of her head and forced her to turn away. “We can discuss how much you resent me later.”

_Never change midget. Never change._

This time, Piper was unable to contain the smile that had been itching to creep up on her face, and so she sheepishly grinned to herself, secretly grateful for their uncharacteristic interaction as that very moment looped in her head for the rest of the day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the inconsistent update schedule, it's currently midterms week for me so the prior weeks have been packed to the brim with assignments and submissions. Anyways, my schedule's bound to clear up a bit after this week, so I can get back to somehow posting within my intended schedule.


	8. Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Piper compensated for her month off-duty with extensive lectures on history, war tactics, and field reports. By the time she was finally granted the green light to engage in physical training, she was capable of producing an entire field report without feeling the need to rip out her hair or snap another unfortunate pencil in half- a miraculous and outstanding feat in itself, considering that she’d despised writing essays, and was literally on the verge of tearing down the entire lecture hall during her first day of lessons. 

It felt good to be back to her typical regimen; she’s had her fair share of studies and papers for now, and Piper wasn’t looking forward to spending even just another second confined to that stuffy hall. She was excelling in the physical aspect of training anyways, so despite her time off the training field, she’d managed to perfect every assessment and exercise Levi and the others threw at her as if she’d never sustained any injuries or taken an entire month off. Erwin and the higher-ups were greatly impressed at her knack for things, to say the least. 

Mike was a miracle worker too. Over the weeks that passed, he’d managed to beat Julia into shape. Both Levi and Piper scratched their heads and wondered how the man had managed to do it, but the tall brute wouldn’t divulge his secret techniques, no matter how hard they tried.

Julia wasn’t a prodigy of sorts at omnidirectional gear- that was given, but her training with Mike ensured that she was no longer at the bottom of the food chain or at the brink of being sent back to the clutches of the Military Police. She was keeping up in training, occasionally meriting the sixth or seventh shortest time record amongst the junior officers in omnidirectional drills, or sometimes even ranking first in hand-to-hand combat within the same division. She was finally able to hold her own, and for that, Piper was enormously relieved. 

The months blurred together and passed by quickly, and autumn finally arrived. The trees grew orange, leaves littered the courtyard at every time of the day, and the temperature had significantly dropped. Their final test- an expedition beyond the walls, and the deadline for keeping up with the rest of the Scouts was inching significantly closer, but Piper was confident that she and Julia had proven themselves to Erwin and the rest of the regiment. 

Everything was going according to plan- until Erwin unveiled his bizarre request.

“Thank you for meeting me, Piper,” Erwin smiled at her as she entered the room, occupied with stacking and organizing his bookshelves with newly procured volumes and serials. His office was certainly becoming cluttered, and Piper watched as he continued arranging the books into the spaces, spotting Julia and Hanji who were engaged in a technical discussion by the coffee table.

“Not like I had a choice,” she eventually responded with a smirk, earning herself a lighthearted side glance from the commander as he wrapped up and briskly dusted his hands before signaling the two other women to dial down and conclude their conversation. He’d grown particularly fond of Piper’s antics and blunt retorts, knowing that she meant absolutely nothing by them. “So what’s up?” Piper added as she leaned on the door and folded her arms, eager to hear what Erwin was about to say.

“I have a job for you,” he began as he walked back to his large desk and sat down, pulling out a drawer and retrieving a cream-colored envelope from it. “You’ve been doing very well in training, and you’ve fulfilled all your duties flawlessly and without delay. I’m very proud of your progress with us, Piper.”

“Who wouldn’t be motivated to fulfill their duties if their life’s hanging on the line?” she grimaced, teasingly rolling her eyes as she snuck a glance at Julia who was trying her best to stifle a giggle. “In all seriousness, thanks, I guess.” Erwin chuckled and raised the envelope, flashing its expensive and intricate wax seal which made Piper’s blood run cold and all traces of previous enjoyment to flee her body at once. 

_Oh god._

“Tomorrow, the royal government along with the nobility of Mitras will be holding its annual evening function- a charity event of sorts,” he explained, aimlessly circling his finger around the seal as he shifted his gaze from Piper, Julia, then Hanji. “Two top brass officers from each branch of the military are required to attend this event and act as representatives for their respective regiments. Naturally, these two officers would be the commander and their second-in-command, but we’ve hit a snag and encountered some... scheduling conflicts.”

“Let me guess,” Piper replied, burdened with dread as Erwin sternly looked her in the eye. “You want me to go to this stupid ‘charity’ in your place.”

“Precisely,” he nodded, his stern demeanor unwavering. “My team and a good chunk of the top brass will be participating in a patrol mission tomorrow. Rescheduling or delaying this mission will be too much of a hassle and may derail all our other plans. The invitations came in late, so we were informed of this only recently and couldn’t apply the necessary adjustments or so.”

_Here we go again with Commander Eyebrows and his suicide squad robbing me of my luxury of choice. I really am living in hell._

“Hold on, hold on, hold on,” Piper rambled, furiously shaking her head as she glared in confusion and tried to let the information sink in. “Let me get this straight: the king and his goonies seriously thought it was a good idea to hold some fancy soiree- under the guise of a ‘charity event’- in the middle of a crisis? There are more than a hundred thousand displaced civilians because some big-ass titan came and tore down the gates of Shiganshina, we’re having a food shortage, and people are killing each other over land disputes, but the monarchy thinks that now’s the best time to get drunk and throw a party? Are you all nuts?” 

“Trust me, Piper, I share the same sentiments as you, and the timing of this gathering is rather insensitive considering all that has occurred within the past few months,” Erwin replied, setting the envelope down as he folded his hands and furrowed his brows. “However, this gathering is a very prestigious event, and it is necessary- especially for us scouts- to keep up appearances, considering that we are the smallest and least-prioritized branch. Putting on quite the show may attract private endorsements and sponsors who could put out a good word for us or aid in our funding.” 

“Alright, fine. I guess that makes sense,” she huffed, glancing again at Julia who was mouthing the words _‘sorry’_ and _‘what a load of bull’_. “But why me? Couldn’t Hanji or Mike go? I’m not exactly in the Military Police’s good graces, and this party’s bound to be swarming with them. Hell, I’d say the chances of our good-old-pal Nile making his presence known is pretty damn high, and he’s probably still hellbent on chopping my head off, for good reason of course.” 

“Sorry Pipes,” Hanji responded, rubbing the back of her neck as she flashed an apologetic, lopsided grin. “As much as we’d love to go, Mike and I are also participating in Erwin’s excursion tomorrow. It’s a great opportunity to examine the titans up close, and if we’re lucky enough, we could probably see if my proposal of trying to catch a live titan is feasible enough-”

“Denied.” Erwin interjected, shutting his eyes in contemplation. _Looks like they’ve already had this argument in the past._

“Erwin think about it-”

“We’ve been through this before. We’ll discuss this proposal of yours again in further detail later if you want, once I’m done debriefing Piper.” he sighed, evidently trying his best to maintain his composure. 

“What about Julia?” Piper inquired, vehemently jabbing her index finger towards the direction of the redhead who blinked in confusion. “Hell, even Julia’s better suited for this! Her reputation’s cleaner compared to mine!”

“Sorry Piper, Commander Erwin’s left me with a few tasks to oversee tomorrow, and I’ll also be assisting Nanaba with drills for the entire day.”

“Fuck’s sake,” she cursed, throwing her hands up in defeat. “Seriously, can’t you reconsider? I can think of approximately a million reasons as to why having me as one of the representatives in that function is a terrible idea.” 

“If you’re worried that you attending on my behalf may stir conflict with the Military Police or allow your criminal records to resurface, you don’t have to. I’ve been constantly updating Nile these past few months regarding your progress and involvement with us. It was a condition the Military Police had set for us, in exchange for surrendering you and Julia to our custody. He’s still cautious, but he sees you as a woman on the path to reformation now,” Erwin steadily explained, piquing her interest. “Aside from this, Levi also deduced that attending the event would actually be in your favor. People will believe that you are currently dependable and credible enough as a soldier to merit becoming an official representative despite your past, and all prejudices and doubts surrounding your capabilities will surely diminish.”

“It’s true,” Hanji chimed in, patting her on the shoulder. “When we were deliberating the representatives earlier, we all agreed that you were best suited for the job. That, and we’re all shorthanded as of the moment so we didn’t have a choice either, but let’s not focus on that, right Erwin?” 

“Yes, and there’s also no need to worry since Levi will be attending with you. Should anything unexpected occur tomorrow evening, he’ll be there to guide you or assist you.”

_You’ve got to be fucking kidding me._

_Of all the people I could’ve attended this stupid party with, this bloody pipsqueak has to accompany me?_

Julia choked on the water she’d been sipping upon hearing the news and entered a fit of hysterical coughing, thoroughly surprised and amused at the idea of the two clashing individuals attending such a formal occasion. Once she’d recovered, she wiped the tears that had formed at the corner of her eyes and steadied herself, clearing her throat as Hanji worriedly rubbed her back. “Sorry about that, Commander,” she muttered, bowing as she tried to stifle her laugh, but to no avail. “The- uh, water shot up my nose. Please, carry on.” 

Piper glowered at the redhead, knowing all too well that her current situation surrounding the notorious party was proving to be quite the spectacle for her. Julia continued to silently giggle behind Erwin as Hanji flashed an impish grin, prompting Piper to scowl irritably as she dragged herself towards Erwin’s desk. 

“Never had the luxury of choice anyways,” she grumbled, sneering as she snatched the envelope and tucked it inside of her pocket. “Anything else I should be aware of before the big day, tomorrow?”

“It’s a black-tie event,” Erwin announced, bringing out a small packet filled with bills which he slid across the table. “Here’s some money. Go ahead and buy yourself a dress. I’m sure Hanji would love to help you out.”

_As if it couldn’t get any worse._

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Piper spat through gritted teeth, agitated as she stared at him in disbelief. “You’re asking me to stuff myself into a fucking dress for the entire evening too?” Erwin simply nodded, apologetic and Julia snickered louder, making Piper squeeze her eyes shut as she irritatedly ran a hand through her hair. Eventually, she sighed and grabbed the money, shoving it inside of her pocket with a flounce. _This day’s continuously taking a turn for the worse, and I’m not here for it._

“Smith, I’m starting to hate your guts too.” she dourly declared, clicking her tongue as Hanji happily yanked her arm and dragged her towards the door. “It’s C _ommander_ Smith,” Erwin corrected, dismissing the both of them as Piper shook her head in defeat and tried to pry her arm away from the brunette, unwilling to budge. “As for you Julia, would you mind staying for a minute? I’d like to further discuss the assignments I’d given you earlier.” 

“Oh- uh, right. Yes, sir.” Julia acknowledged, watching in amusement as the two women stumbled and struggled towards the door. “Have fun for me, Piper!” she yelled afterwards before returning her attention to the commander.

“This’ll be so much fun! You’re such a lucky girl, Pipes!” Hanji beamed, practically shoving herself and Piper out. “Seriously, this is such a great opportunity for you, and I’m already jealous.” _Don’t you mean unlucky?_ “Then let’s switch roles,” Piper begged, exasperated as she continued to struggle. “Come on, I’ll pay you with this money. How much do you want?”

“Gotta admit Pipes, that sum is pretty tempting,” she giggled, plucking the packet from Piper’s hands and peering through its opening, counting the bills before immediately returning it and cusping both of the blonde’s wrists as she stared at her with double the vigor and enthusiasm. “But nothing will beat the thrill of an expedition, so you better hold on tight to your allowance because I’m bringing you shopping! Erwin’s really blessed us today!” 

“Hanji please-”

“Come on! We still have to go and fetch Levi before heading downtown!”

“Four-eyes, you greasy bitch hold on!” Piper hissed angrily, watching as Hanji made a run for it and sprinted down the hall, overeager to get to her destination. “Fuck, I hate you all so much,” she mumbled furiously to herself, clenching her fists as she tried to catch up.

* * *

Bearing witness to Hanji unintentionally startling and catching a heavily preoccupied Levi off-guard was undeniably amusing and lightened her mood to some extent, but Piper continued to resentfully worry about the upcoming gathering, thus weighing her down and keeping her detached from her surroundings as she lumbered steadily behind Hanji who was bouncing with every step she took. 

Levi strolled beside her, quiet and pensive as he idly observed the buildings they passed, mildly irritated; he was probably recalling the humiliating instance, hence the scowl. Piper was surprised that he still agreed to accompany the two of them in their errand despite the amusing stunt Hanji pulled by raucously barreling through his door unannounced, nearly tearing it off its hinges. “Why are you even coming with us in the first place?” she questioned sharply, lifting her gaze from the ground and glaring at him. _Here to play bodyguard? Tease me for having to wear a dress? Window shop for cleaning solutions?_

“You’re not the only one who needs an outfit for the occasion, imp. Get your head out of your ass.” 

“Understandable, but do you have to come with us to the dress shop to help me find a dress?” Piper retorted, cocking an eyebrow. “Or are you planning to wear a dress too? Because if that’s the case, then maybe I should go and splurge on a suit instead to ease my suffering.”

“Who said I was going to help you find a dress?” he wondered, glancing at her skeptically as he tried to gently whack the back of her head- it was starting to become a predictable habit of his. Piper ducked in the last second and roughly slapped his hand away, irked. “Imp, the tailor’s this way too- we’re just heading in the same direction. I’m not planning on sitting around while the two of you are bickering over what dress to purchase.”

“What? You’re not coming with?” Hanji called, stopping in her tracks as she turned to face him. “Come on you killjoy, don’t you wanna help out in picking Piper’s dress? We could help you pick yours afterwards!”

“I’m not a fashion critic, four-eyes,” he stated dryly, suddenly detaching from their group as he headed for the adjacent street. “I have other things to worry about.”

“Your loss then,” she mumbled, folding her arms as she watched Levi walk away. “Meet us at the plaza later!” 

Piper realized that she’d been unconsciously holding her breath the entire time due to the fear that she was going to have to seek out his opinion while searching for an appropriate dress. She exhaled and relaxed a little once she was certain that he was out of earshot and sight, somewhat relieved. _One less thing to worry about._ “Lead the way, shitface,” she nudged Hanji, eager to get moving. “The sooner we get this done, the better. I’d rather not prolong my suffering.”

The two of them walked in silence as they pressed on, absorbed in their own thoughts and concerns. Again, this wasn’t a bother for Piper as she often tried to avoid conversing with others- her socialization skills were near zero, hence another reason as to why she was so apprehensive of attending the soiree. 

“You really are a curious specimen, Piper.” Hanji blurted as they entered the boutique, observing the various styles that decorated the small shop from head to toe- from modest, floor-length ball gowns to daring cocktail dresses that left little to the imagination, the shop surely had a dress for all sorts of occasions, and Hanji and Piper were both certain that they were going to spend a hefty amount of time sifting through all the overflowing racks. “Aren’t you excited for tomorrow?”

“No.” 

“Not even a little bit?”

“I’d rather kill myself than go to that stupid party with Levi.”

“Are you sure?”

“What exactly are you trying to get at, four-eyes?” Piper demanded impatiently, miffed by her counterpart’s persistence in inciting a conversation. Hanji pondered for a moment as she held out a crimson gown before shaking her head and facing Piper, fascinated. 

“Most girls would willingly kill or immediately jump at the rare opportunity of accompanying Levi to a dance! And yet here you are, apprehensive and resentful of not just the dance, but his entire being too! You’re probably the first girl I’ve met that hasn’t shown any form of interest whatsoever for him.”

“Four-eyes,” Piper sighed, fed up with Hanji’s meddlesome attitude and unhealthy fixation on obtaining her _personal_ or _private_ opinions surrounding the aforementioned captain. “What’s the big deal with the midget? Like, seriously. What’s there to gush over? Do enlighten me, please.” Hanji paused and set down the few dresses she’d been collecting, flashing her a bewildered stare as Piper continued rummaging through the different hangers, mistaking Hanji’s silence for contemplation. Upon realizing that the brunette still hasn’t responded to her inquiry, Piper looked up and faced her, welcoming the woman’s puzzled look.

“Wait, you seriously don’t know?” Hanji questioned, perplexed. “Have you been living under a rock?”

“I lived in the Underground for quite some time,” she replied dryly. “Does that count?” 

“Hey! Then that could be another similarity you could both bond over!” Hanji ran towards her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her vigorously as she began to ramble. “Rumor has it that Levi was a notorious rogue in the Underground. Is it true? Have you heard of him? Have you met him before?”

“I don’t know, no, and I’ve never met that idiot prior to getting my ass thrown in here, so could we _please_ just focus on looking for a stupid dress because the longer we stay here, the closer I am to punching your face just to shut you up for good.” 

“You two have a lot in common, you know.” Hanji shook her head in resignation and chuckled, releasing Piper as she fondly played with the seams of the dresses. “Levi hasn’t had proper company since he arrived here, so I think this whole gimmick’s good for the both of you; you guys will get to know each other better.”

“Is that the real reason as to why you’re all so adamant in making me go instead of some other qualified officer?” Piper wondered as she took out a collared dress from the rack and raised a brow, simultaneously requesting Hanji’s opinion on the design.

“Maaaaybe…” she trailed, mischievously averting her eyes and twiddling her thumbs before shifting to a more serious and genuine demeanor. “Seriously though- all jokes aside, I know it doesn’t seem like it, but Levi’s actually a pretty decent guy. He’s been through a lot, hence the prickly and harsh attitude, but he’s got a heart deep down. Trust me.”

“We all have our own sob stories,” Piper harshly shot back. “He’s not special. And frankly, I don’t care.”

“Just give him a chance, will you?” she sighed, unwaveringly determined to get the two of them to get along. “He’s trying his best- again, it doesn’t seem like it- but he really is. In his own grumpy, neat-freak way.”

“Whatever.” 

“And for goodness’ sake Pipes, you are not walking out of this store with that dress!” Hanji exclaimed and scoffed in disgust as she did a double-take at the dress Piper held and yanked it from her hands, startling the clerk who was rearranging the racks further back in the store. “It’s hideous!”

“Keep your voice down, four-eyes!” Piper chided, glancing apologetically at the young clerk before snatching back the dress from Hanji’s clutches. “And what’s wrong with this, anyway?” she wondered, inspecting the Aegean-colored garb. “It’s got a modest collar, perfect for a formal gathering.”

“Perfect for an old widow’s afternoon tea party, you mean!” Hanji returned, taking the dress and shoving it behind a cluster of cheap-looking chiffon ball gowns. “What we’re looking for is a dress that’ll make heads turn.”

“I’d rather not call attention to myself-”

“Hey! You there! Are these all the dresses you have at the moment?” Hanji yelled to the clerk, frantically waving her arms. Piper buried her face in her hands and pursed her lips in irritation and embarrassment as the timid woman approached, thankfully unbothered by Hanji’s raucous behavior. 

“I have a new collection in the back that just arrived today,” she replied, somewhat uncertain as Piper glared at Hanji in annoyance. “They’re made from the finest materials, however, so they fetch quite the price-”

“We have the money!” the brunette blurted, suddenly shoving her hand down Piper’s pocket and yanking out the tan-colored packet from earlier. “Show us the finest dress you’ve got, right now!” Piper roughly elbowed Hanji and clicked her tongue in response, unappreciative of the woman’s inexistent concept of personal boundaries. 

“This way, please.” The young woman led the two to a semi-secluded section in the boutique which was less cramped and more put-together. Already, the numerous ensembles on display seemed much more expensive in craftsmanship and material, and Piper quietly gulped as she surveyed the area in awe. “This selection’s mostly reserved for my special customers, but I noticed that you’re both part of the military,” she explained, glancing at them as she gently sifted through the racks. “This is for a special event, yes?”

“Yeah.” Piper nodded, curiously running her hand against a maroon dress. Noticing that the dress’ neckline was inappropriately low, Piper recoiled her hand in disgust and transferred to another section in the room, disinterestedly rummaging through the garments one-by-one.

_Too fancy._

_Too revealing._

_Too flashy._

_Too… modest?_

Piper’s patience was beginning to wear thin as she dismissed nearly every single dress she’d laid her eyes on. Hanji on the other hand appeared to have been enjoying the experience, as both of her arms were filled with various pieces that had caught her interest. Piper sighed irritatedly to herself as she observed each dress Hanji was carrying, already dreading having to fit every single one of them. “Something that’ll bring out your eyes or complement the ghostly pallor of your skin,” Hanji muttered as she continued browsing the racks, occasionally glancing at Piper. Piper frowned when the brunette paused and suddenly froze in place, her expression unreadable. 

A few seconds passed before Hanji’s eyes widened in surprise as she hurriedly parted the rack and yanked one of the dresses, flashing an excited grin as she held it up and ran to Piper. “Like this one!” she yelled energetically.

Piper stared at the dress Hanji was holding out, mouth agape. _No way. No way. NO WAY._

“No.” she declined, swatting it away as she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. “There’s no way in hell that I’m wearing _that_.”

“Piper, it's perfect for you!” Hanji implored, shoving the delicate dress on Piper’s hands. “You have to try it!”

“This thing leaves little to the imagination-”

“No, it doesn’t! It’s modest enough! Showing a little bit of your shoulders won’t hurt anyone, Pipes.”

“The price of this dress is outrageous. Can’t we find something else-”

“I’m not hearing it! Blah, blah, blah.” the brunette immaturely covered her ears and shut her eyes, unwilling to hear Piper’s protests. “Talk to me when you’ve put on the dress!” 

“You’re just as insufferable as that midget!” she proclaimed, snatching the expensive garment as she stormed off towards the dressing booth. Piper hesitantly took off her uniform as she slipped on the dress, cautiously eyeing her crisp reflection in the mirror afterwards.

The piece was elegant, to say the least, but it felt foreign and unnatural against her own skin. She was accustomed to wearing cheap, hand-me-down blouses and ragged boots, not form-fitting dresses that cost more than the combined average salary of three mid-ranking soldiers. Besides, where else was she supposed to wear the dress after the executive party? To sleep? To the battlefield? To her own grave? It didn’t make sense to her to invest so much money in an unnecessary luxury when cheaper substitutes existed.

 _But it sure as hell is pretty_ , she thought to herself, admiring the rich, jet-black silk that clung to her figure. The overall design was simple and straightforward; an ebony, mid-length silk-satin dress that hugged her torso but gradually flowed out, allowing for modest movement and breathability. Still, Piper felt too exposed under the dress’ square neckline and thin straps, and so she held her breath as she drew back the curtain and hesitantly stepped outside of the dressing booth, awkwardly and self-consciously trying to cover up and shield herself from Hanji and the merchant’s inspecting eyes. 

“Well?” Piper wondered, shifting uncomfortably under the two women’s mesmerized gazes as they stared at her, wordless. Hanji then clasped her hands together and squealed in glee, chestnut eyes shimmering with exhilaration as Piper awkwardly stood there. 

“You look like a goddess!” she beamed, staring at her with so much fascination and awe. “It’s perfect! We’ll take it!”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Piper questioned, aghast as the clerk nodded in agreement. “It suits you perfectly, dear,” she confirmed, eyeing her up and down. “Your partner would be lucky to have you in that event if you show up wearing that. And I have the perfect pair of shoes in mind to accompany that dress!”

Piper could feel her face steaming as she retreated to the confinements of the dressing booth, flustered. She quickly took off the dress and slipped back into her uniform before bolting out and slamming the payment on the counter, embarrassed beyond measurement. “Just give us the shit, so we can leave already.” she mumbled meekly, looking down on the floor.

“I threw in the heels for free, just for you.” the girl smiled, nudging her playfully as she handed the boxes that contained their recent purchases. “Thank you, and I hope you two drop by again sometime!” she said afterwards, bowing in appreciation.

“No, thank you!” Hanji yelled back, waving as Piper exited first. “You’ve got a wonderful shop, and I would’ve emptied out all your racks if we didn’t have such a tight budget!” Piper groaned as they stepped outside into broad daylight, realizing that the two of them spent almost the entire afternoon scouring the boutique from head to toe just to settle on that wretched, exorbitant silk dress.

“Shit, you think we kept him waiting for too long?” Hanji wondered, shielding her eyes from the harsh glare of the setting sun as they began heading towards their designated meeting spot. Piper shrugged and warily eyed the boxes she carried, nervous and uncertain. 

_Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day, that’s for sure._

Twilight had already settled in by the time they arrived at the plaza, and several Garrison officers littered the populous square as they helped in lighting the street braziers. Certain stalls and shops that operated during the day were finally closing down, while other fresh-looking merchants were busy opening their stalls or rearranging tables, ready to take over and begin their evening shifts. 

Piper spotted Levi waiting for them at one of the outdoor tables of a nearby cafe, looking completely miserable. A lone candle providing soft illumination was propped on the table, casting harsh shadows on his face as he looked up and stared at them, visibly exhausted.

 _Looks like midget’s been waiting for quite a while_ , she thought as she nudged Hanji and jerked her head towards his direction. _I’d be lying if I said I didn’t pity him._

“Took you long enough,” he grumbled, dusting his pants as he stood up and collected the coat cover that occupied the other chair, the silhouette of his brand new suit visible against its protective covering. “What the hell were you two doing?”

“Finding _the_ dress for Piper over here was quite the challenge, but we found the perfect one! Couldn’t let this wonderful girl attend the party looking like your handmaid, or something.”

“What does it look like?” 

“Uh-uh! It’s a secret!” Hanji declared, using her arm to shield him from looking into the boxes, and shoving Piper aside with her other arm. “You’ll just have to wait and see for yourself tomorrow!” she added, winking mischievously.

“You’re taking this a little too seriously, shitty-glasses.”

“Oh trust me, Levi, you’ll see it’s well worth the wait.” she giggled, winking at him before slinging her arm over Piper’s shoulder. “Right, Pipes?”

_Just shoot me in the face already. It’ll hurt less._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had waaaaaay too much fun writing this chapter lmao. Also hey! A miracle weekly update! 
> 
> Pretty excited for the next few chapters because I have so much in store for you guys ;)
> 
> See you in the next, and thank you so much again for all the love and support! You guys are definitely the best.


	9. Keeping Appearances (The Evening in Mitras, Part 1)

“You look beautiful, Pipes,” Hanji muttered in awe as she lifted a stray lock of hair away from Piper’s face and gently tucked it behind her ear, careful not to disturb the loose plait she’d woven at the back of her head. “Breathtakingly beautiful.”

Piper apprehensively stared at her reflection in the mirror, overwrought and perturbed. The withdrawn and unconcerned demeanor she typically donned was nowhere to be found at the moment; her thoughts were in disarray, for the imminent gathering drew nearer as the seconds passed, and Piper shakily exhaled as she took in her fragile appearance. 

_This can’t be me_ , she thought, wide-eyed as she processed every detail that contributed to the casual elegance her reflection seemingly evoked, a far cry from the uniformed and rigid reflection she’d gotten used to over the months: from the light fringes that Hanji purposely excluded from her braid in order to accentuate her face, down to the way the dark silk heavily contrasted her skin and her eyes, making it seem as if both had an innate radiance to them. It seemed that the longer she hung around with the scouts, the more unrecognizable her appearance came to be. So far, this was probably the third instance that she hadn’t quite recognized herself. 

“Is something wrong?” Hanji inquired, concern displayed all over her face as she grasped Piper’s shoulders and joined her in observing her reflection. “Why the long face? Where’s your spirit?” she added, repeatedly poking Piper’s cheek in hopes of cracking her up. “Come on, show me that killer smile of yours!” 

“Knock it off, four-eyes.” Piper droned, rolling her eyes as she brushed Hanji’s hand away from her cheek. “I’m just worried about tonight.”

“There’s nothing to worry about, Pipes.” she smiled in response, turning Piper towards her as she began patting down the soft creases that had formed on the obsidian silk. “Although… you’re running a bit small over here.” Hanji cheekily cupped and squeezed Piper’s breasts, evoking a sharp gasp from the blonde. “But don’t worry, they’re there! And they’re pretty firm too, actually. Thankfully that dress really brings them out.” Piper stiffened under Hanji’s unwarranted touch, violated as she slapped away her prying hands and stumbled to the side.

“What the fuck- keep your hands to yourself,” Piper uttered disdainfully, aghast as Hanji unapologetically shrugged and giggled. “And they’re not that small, excuse me,” she added, self-consciously glancing down at her chest in return as she felt her cheeks warm. “I don’t need a fucking dress to prove that I’ve developed.”

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that.” Hanji drawled sarcastically, chummily patting Piper on the back as she began to head for the door. “I’m just messing with you; you look flawless. You’re bound to make heads turn with that stunning dress of yours, and I can guarantee that a certain _captain_ will be speechless once he lays his eyes on you. So, shall we?”

_Oh, perish the fucking thought, four-eyes._

“Don’t you have an urgent mission to attend to?” Piper wondered, mindlessly grabbing the invitation and the coat she’d prepared the night before as she wobbled towards the door, struggling tremendously under the impractical height of her heels which was forcing her into an uncomfortable, near-tiptoe position. _How do other girls even walk in this? It’s like trying to balance on stilts while having knives directly strapped to the bottom of your soles._ “Don’t think it’s a wise idea to keep Erwin waiting. You know how fussy he could get if you delay something even just by a mere second.”

“Bah! To hell with his schedules. I need to see a dear friend off on her special day.” she responded dismissively, puffing out her chest as she tried to imitate Erwin’s rigid posture before halting Piper in her tracks, frowning and pointing accusingly towards the coat she carried. “And what are you going to do with this?” Hanji probed, furrowing her brows as she snatched the jacket from Piper’s hands.

“Using it to cover up,” Piper replied matter-of-factly, raising a brow. “It’s like eight degrees outside, and it’s bound to get colder in the evening.”

“But it defeats the purpose of your dress!” Hanji whined, staring at the coat with a look of disgust as Piper frustratingly pinched the bridge of her nose. “I can’t survive the entire evening wearing just this scanty dress,” Piper countered, growing more frustrated as she pointed at the garb for emphasis. “Stepping outside wearing just this is tantamount to me walking out with my ass hanging out for the entire world to see. I’m gonna freeze my ass off!” 

“It’ll be warm in the venue, trust me! The number of candles, chandeliers, and sweaty, middle-aged men is sure to turn the area into a living sauna! You’ll be fine.”

“But-”

“Uh-uh! No time to argue! Your ride's waiting outside! Now chin up, back straight, and stand tall. You’re the most gorgeous woman in the vicinity right now, so act like it!” Hanji interjected, grabbing Piper by the arm and bolting out of the room. Piper shot daggers at the back of Hanji’s head, defeated as the brunette hurriedly dragged her along the corridor and down the spiraling stairwell of their headquarters. Her soles were aching terribly as she struggled to maintain her balance and pace her steps evenly; by the time they exited the main entrance and haphazardly proceeded down the steps that led to the central courtyard, Piper felt as though both her ankles were mere seconds away from falling off and detaching completely.

Although the sun was out, the climate was particularly frigid. Puffs of white steam escaped Piper’s lips as she breathed, dissipating into the cold air as she hesitantly hobbled behind Hanji who was striding towards the parked carriage. A chilly draft suddenly blew and nipped at her bare shoulders, prompting the hairs at the back of her neck to stand as goosebumps emerged on her skin. Then a stronger gust followed shortly and lightly lifted the hems of her dress, causing Piper to disapprovingly curse to herself, teeth chattering as she shivered and hugged her exposed frame in an attempt to keep warm. _Oh come on, give me a break._

“Levi! Sorry we’re late!” Hanji hollered thrillingly, vigorously flailing her hands in the air as Piper tried to hide behind the brunette the moment she caught a glimpse of his figure. “Was making sure that dear Pipes over here was dazzling from head-to-toe, but here she is!” she proclaimed, dramatically stepping to the side and revealing Piper’s appearance as she did jazz hands.

It took a second for Piper to realize that the man standing in front of her was none other than Levi. He was wearing the typical suit-and-tie ensemble- a white dress shirt devoid of any crease or unruly fold paired with the standard black blazer and matching trousers and shoes, along with his signature cravat which he’d favored in place of the necktie. Piper found herself at a loss for words as she stared him down from head to toe, stunned.

She really didn’t want to admit it, but it was hard to deny that Levi looked good in the suit- _too good_ , in fact, and a warm, indescribable feeling bubbled in the pits of her stomach.

Piper shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, and she felt the blood slowly rising to her cheeks as he stared back at her wide-eyed with his lips parted ever so slightly, speechless. Hanji playfully waved her arm across his face in an attempt to gain his attention as he remained motionless, prompting her to wink at Piper who was growing more flustered by the minute. “Didn’t I tell you, Pipes?” she proclaimed as she mischievously nudged Levi in the arm. “Speechless.” 

“Not bad, Brunswick,” Levi stated approvingly after some time as he swatted Hanji’s hand away from his face, rigidly crossing his arms and regaining his composure. “You look good.”

“You- uh- you don’t look so bad yourself.”

“I guess my work here’s done. I’ll leave you two at it now,” Hanji chuckled, stepping back and turning on her heel as she impishly grinned at the two of them. “Take good care of her for me, Levi.” she sternly added. “And remember to be on your best behavior, Pipes. You’re representing all of us. But make it a point to enjoy as well!” 

Piper helplessly watched as Hanji departed for the main gate, apprehension kicking in full-swing as the coachman steadied the horse in preparation for their departure. _This is it_ , she thought, worriedly biting the inside of her cheek and facing Levi, unable to collect herself as her worries surrounding the impending soiree persisted. _No backing out now. Don’t make a fool of yourself, Piper._

“Well? What are you waiting for?” he wondered, opening the carriage door and extending his hand in an attempt to help her up the steps of the carriage. “Get in.”

“I don’t need your assistance,” Piper responded, blinking and exhaling slowly as she readied herself and began wobbling towards him before shoving his hand away as she tried to avoid the uneven gaps on the pavement. “I can get up on my own-”

_Spoke too soon, idiot._

Piper lost her footing and stumbled, accidentally wedging her heel in-between one of the cracks which made her right ankle bend at an awkward angle as she found herself ungracefully diving face-first towards the ragged pavement. She hitched her breath and squeezed her eyes shut as she braced for the harsh impact, only to be taken by surprise when a strong pair of hands broke her fall and caught her mid-air, the sudden change in momentum making her unintentionally bury her face against the person’s chest as they both steadied each other and tried to regain balance.

There was only one person within her proximity who was capable of catching her in the nick of time, and Piper felt her heart race as she clutched his arms and felt the rise and fall of his chest, her head thrown into disarray. He was warm- comfortingly warm to the touch, and he smelled of linen, tea, and the faintest notes of cheap fabric softener and bleach which were heavily reminiscent of home. She remained in the same position for a few more seconds, immovable and paralyzed by an inexplicable sensation as she listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

_What are you doing, Piper?_

_Get off! Get the fuck off of him, you fucking idiot!_

“You don’t need assistance…” Levi trailed amusingly, his voice reverberating through his chest which caused Piper’s cheeks to burn as he continued holding her. “Right. How’s that going for you, imp?” Piper flinched and shoved herself away from him, sudden realization dawning upon her as she averted her gaze and brushed down her dress, horrified.

“Don’t let it get to your head, midget.” she mumbled bashfully, hurriedly climbing up the steps of the carriage before diverting her attention towards the window, unwilling to look him in the eye as he entered shortly afterwards and sat right across from her. The coachman jerked the horses’ reins and soon their carriage began to move, inquisitive scouts and curious passersby attempting to catch a glimpse of who was seated inside as they headed for Trost's inner gate. The horses picked up their speed once they’d left the confinements of their headquarters, and Piper quietly observed as they passed the different houses and establishments in a blur. She’d heard the toll of the bells as the Garrisons signaled to raise the gate, and the endless fields of viridian greeted her once more as they finally passed through and began their lengthy journey towards the capital.

 _It’ll take the entire day to ride to Mitras_ , Piper thought, idly counting the trees they passed as she recounted the carriage ride she and Julia shared with Erwin when they first joined, in hopes of preventing herself from recalling her undignifying mishap. _If we keep up the pace, we just might make it with a little bit of sunlight to spare._

Not much was said between the two of them as they rode towards the capital; Levi didn’t seem all too pleased with the idea of representing the regiment in a social gathering either as he stared out his window with a deep frown, brooding. _That makes two of us_ , Piper mused, tilting her head furtively to get a better look at him. Her mind was wandering again- no, her _eyes_ were wandering again. She was being perceptive of the interior of the carriage- no, of the stoic man in front of her- for reasons she didn’t want to admit to herself, and she chewed at her lip in agitation, cursing in silence as the self-awareness struck her.

_What’s wrong with you today?_

_Get ahold of yourself. This is unbecoming of you._

Despite the surly expression, he seemed at peace within that moment, and Piper wanted to preserve that very image of him. His head was propped up on an elbow that was resting languidly against the trim of the window, and the pale, mid-morning sunlight shone on his face, illuminating his angular features. _It pains me to admit it, but midget’s undeniably good-looking. No wonder all the girls near HQ keep squealing every time he walks by._

Instinctively, Levi tore his eyes away from the window as if he’d somehow known that she was observing him at that instance, and their gazes briefly met as Piper looked away. She could see from her periphery however that his eyes still lingered on her, and so she glanced back at him, watching intently as his steely eyes reflexively darted back to the window as if nothing had happened. 

_I see where this is going._

This exchange of furtive glances continued for quite some time as both of them kept to themselves- yet at the same time not, the frequent occurrence eventually morphing into a mental minigame of who would slip up first and successfully catch the other staring or checking them out. It was inarguably childish and coy in nature, but it did the trick in passing time and shattering the air of unease between them. 

Piper lost track of time afterwards, but it appeared to be a little past noon when their carriage passed through the gates of Ehrmich since the market square was packed with residents and merchants. Feeling a little weary, she lowered her head and chose to stare at her hands while listening to the soothing sounds of pebbles crunching beneath the rolling wheels of their carriage. She must’ve dozed off not long after, for the sun was halfway through setting behind the distant mountains in the west when she looked up from her lap, and an orange hue coated the familiar, lush evergreens they passed. The outline of the royal castle was also visible on the horizon, and Piper found herself swimming in dread once more as they began their approach to the pristine capital. 

“Looks like we’ve got traffic,” she managed to say as their ride slowed to a halt, eyeing the long line of wagons and carriages in front of them disinterestedly. “How big is this party supposed to be?” 

“Besides the designated representatives of each branch, numerous veteran officers, retired officials, and their respective families will be present,” Levi responded, glancing at her knowingly as she anxiously fiddled with the ends of her dress. “Along with those unfit, liquor-addled merchant bosses who could barely walk on their feet, and spend night and day gambling their fortunes or sleeping with their colleagues’ wives.”

“The worst lot of them all.” Piper scoffed, rolling her eyes and resting her head on her hand as she aimlessly watched the Military Police inspect the carriages ahead of them, requesting each ride for the distinguishable invitation before allowing them to proceed through the checkpoint. _Take your time, you overprivileged dogs. I’m in no rush to get the party started._

It was well after dark when their carriage finally arrived at the gates of the largest manor within Mitras, and raucous laughter and applause resonated from within as the acoustic accompaniment finished their musical piece. Numerous carriages were lined throughout the street, neighboring horses nickering and snorting to each other as they patiently awaited their masters who were no doubt enjoying themselves inside. 

“Fashionably late.” Levi proclaimed, clicking his tongue in resentment as he stepped out of the carriage and held the door. Piper rose from her seat and followed, apprehensively peering down at the steps and the smooth cobblestone as she tested the steadiness of her footing. _One foot at a time_ , she mentally noted as she gripped the rail and planted her right foot down onto the ground. _One foot at a time-_

“Shit!” Piper’s foot slipped from the heel yet again, causing her ankle to roll outwards as she missed the handrail and fell. Just like before, Levi was quick to react and rushed to her side, instantly breaking her fall as he snagged her by the waist and gripped the rail for support. 

“Fuck’s sake, watch where you’re stepping, imp!” he hissed, releasing her once she’d steadied herself. Piper turned away when she felt her cheeks flush once more, embarrassed by her clumsiness. “Is your foot alright?” he then questioned, his tone softer as he worriedly looked at her. “That was the same foot you twisted earlier.”

“It’s fine,” Piper replied, cautiously stretching her ankle before awkwardly stumbling towards the entrance, still struggling to walk. “Let’s just go.” 

“Alright,” Levi sighed, stopping in front of her and promptly extending his hand as his concern persisted. “Hold on to me. I’ll walk you to the entrance.”

“I said I’m fine, midget. You don’t have to worry about-”

“Quit whining like a stubborn brat and take my hand before you decorate the streets with that face of yours,” he ordered sharply as Piper continued to protest. “Or take those heels off before you break both of your ankles. I’m not planning on carrying you for the rest of the night if that happens.” 

“I already told you, I’m fine. Now, will you please get out of my way before-”

“Fuck it, Brunswick. I don’t have time for this.” Fed up and unwilling to argue further, Levi slipped his hand onto Piper’s and dragged her towards the entrance, blatantly ignoring her harsh protestations and tightening his hold on her hand every time she attempted to wrench her hand away. Seeing that it was useless to continue resisting, Piper gave in and reluctantly followed, somewhat grateful for the darkness that was concealing the vibrant blush that settled on her face. 

_Warm. His hands are warm._ A stark contrast to her frigid ones, her head was reeling in confusion, overwhelmed by the flurry of emotions that flooded her system as he continued to hold her. _His grip is firm, yet gentle enough. He’s showing restraint- he doesn’t want to hold on too tightly._

_This isn’t right._

_Piper, focus._

The warm glow of the venue welcomed them as Levi pushed the door open, revealing the stately gala that occurred within as the people danced, mingled, and ate with one another. She could already pluck out a few familiar faces among the established crowd, and Piper gulped as she took in the imposing scenario before her. _Clients and associates father once knew, shifty aristocrats who led double lives and dealt shady dealings in the Underground, and- oh? Is that Nile over there? Is he staring in my direction?_

Despite the multiple chandeliers that hung overhead and the candelabra on each table, it was seemingly colder inside, and an unsettling shiver ran down her spine as several of the guests turned their heads to get a better look at the new arrivals. It felt as though all eyes were on her, and she felt dwarfed in comparison to all of them. She could already feel that she was unwelcome in the gathering. “What’s the matter?” Levi asked, tugging her hand and cocking a brow as she remained frozen in place. “Cat got your tongue?” 

Piper shook her head and pulled her hand back, completely forgetting that he’d been holding her the entire time as she continued staring ahead. “Midget, everyone’s looking.” she muttered, grimacing as she awkwardly tugged at her dress, feeling exposed under their harsh, snotty stares.

“Of course they are, they’ve been expecting us.” he shrugged in response, jerking his head as he motioned for her to interact with the other guests before setting off towards the opposite end of the room. “Go on, talk to them. I’ll be over here, entertaining the others.”

Upon seeing Levi depart, Nile finally excused himself from the aristocrat he’d been conversing with and approached Piper, a scornful grin crossing his face as he sauntered towards her. “It’s a pleasant surprise to see you here tonight, Piper.” he cooed, chuckling in disbelief as he mockingly patted her on the shoulder, the same condescending look visible in his beady eyes despite his otherwise contrasting body language. “You look completely different from the last time I saw you. Say, what brings you here?”

 _Mind your words and your actions throughout the gathering. Everyone will be watching and listening to you._ Piper recalled Erwin’s words as she tried to keep her temper in check, disinclined to stir a commotion amid the high-strung crowd, and bring unwanted attention to herself despite her growing irritation. _Collect yourself, he’s not worth it._

Piper flashed him a tight-lipped smile in acknowledgment as she stiffened her shoulders and briefly shook his hand, electing to suppress her emotions and ignore his feeble attempts at breaking her composure as nosy partygoers turned to tune in on their exchange. “Erwin had some things to settle today. Your lackeys- _men_ sent the word out late, so he couldn’t make it personally,” she responded stoically, averting her gaze as Nile continued staring her down. “I’m here on his behalf. He sends his regards.” 

“Straight to business, huh? Is that how it is?” he taunted, glancing around before leaning over and whispering in her ear. “You’ve changed, Butcher. Who would’ve known that degenerate scum like you were capable of doing so.”

“What do you want, Nile? Here to ruin my evening? Put on airs? Maybe even reveal my secret to everyone in this room and have me executed on the spot? Don’t you have something better to do? This party’s big enough for both of us.” 

“Relax, Brunswick. I’m just messing with you,” Nile chuckled, raising his hands in resignation and defense as he motioned for her to settle down, heedful of the indignant tenor of her voice. “Whatever happened in the past, stays in the past; your secret’s safe with me. You seem to be pretty useful in Erwin’s eyes- for now, at least- so I won’t bother questioning your presence here in this fine evening. Unless- theoretically speaking- you’re planning to stir up another commotion, of course.”

“Oh yeah, definitely.” Piper scoffed sarcastically, crossing her arms as she eyed the center of the room with disgust. “Definitely came to this party out of my own volition just to slit some random fool’s throat, steal their jewels and make a run for it.”

“Looks like that sharp tongue of yours is still intact. Send my regards to that redhead friend of yours- Hartmann was it?” 

“I’ll mull it over.” 

“Hey, Nile! Who's your wonderful lady friend over ‘ere?” a gruff man in a stiff tuxedo chortled, stumbling towards Nile and nudging him forcefully. His jerky, unpoised movements prompted the drink he held to spill onto his suit, staining the structured fabric as he slid into their conversation, uninvited. “Come on, don’t be shy, gimme a proper introduction to this fine woman o’ yours.”

“Arno Dettinger, captain of Yarckel District’s Military Police,” Nile motioned towards the unkempt man, his face writhing in disgust before turning back to Piper, semi-apologetic for his unwanted companion’s unprofessional stature. “Piper Brunswick. Erwin’s a common friend of ours.” he continued, watching in anticipation as the man- Arno, teetered back and forth before snorting and releasing a queasy belch from his system that made heads turn in dissatisfaction. 

“Oh, so she’s one of those suicidal maniacs too?” Arno managed to say in-between a succession of burps, shooting Piper a sideward glance as he snickered and roughly clapped Nile on the back. “You could say that.” Nile grumbled in return, glaring disapprovingly at him as he shrugged himself away and rubbed the impacted area. 

“Lemme tell ya something real quick, luv,” Arno’s wine splashed onto him again when he swiveled and focused his attention on Piper, sensually brushing a clammy hand against her bare shoulder. “You’re too pretty to hang ‘round with those suicidal freaks. You should just stick around with us MP, ya know? We got the money, the security, and the luxury-” 

_Lay another hand on me, pissface, and I’ll send you flying across the room._

“Hey, Arno. Watch it,” Nile warned, cautious of the friction that was rising in-between their group, also unwilling to stir a confrontation in the midst of the function. Beads of sweat formed and trickled down his temples as he glanced at Piper who shot him daggers. “She bites.” 

“I love a woman who bites!” the drunken bastard slinked his arm around her waist, winking and flashing a toothy grin which exposed his one golden canine, a tacky status symbol that was commonly found among the nouveau riche; it spoke volumes about the kind of man that he was. “Say, darlin’. Fancy a dance with me?” he whispered to her ear, the light from the chandeliers reflecting off of his golden tooth as he smiled devilishly, accentuating his repugnant appearance. 

“I don’t dance,” Piper tried to pry his hand away, heartbeat spiking and vision flashing red when Arno refused to budge and pulled her closer, tightening his hold on her waist as he slid his hand lower. _Get off me, you sick fuck._ “Find another partner.” she breathed shakily, tensing up as he pervertedly felt her figure.

“Hey, Arno! Knock it off.” Nile demanded, glancing nervously between him and the watchful crowd as Arno inched closer, crooked thoughts and vile intentions swimming in his head as he eyed Piper lustfully. The situation had taken a turn for the worse, and Arno’s behavior was abhorrent and unacceptable; he certainly wasn’t setting a good image for the Military Police, and this bothered Nile tremendously as the number of attendees who observed the commotion grew. “That’s out of line!” 

_I can’t make a scene. I can’t make a fucking scene. If only I had my knife with me._

_How do I get out of this, unscathed?_

“Come on, sweetie. Just for a little while?” his breath was fanning the crook of her neck now, prompting goosebumps to reemerge on her skin and a petrifying chill to trickle down her back as her breath hitched in terror; the overpowering stench of liquor that emanated from Arno’s entire being made Piper’s eyes water and her stomach churn as she frantically searched the room for Levi, feeling helpless. _Midget, where the hell are you?_ “I promise it’ll be fun.”

“You’ll have to excuse me, sir, but I’m obliged to refuse your offer.”

“Aw come on, why’s that?”

_Because you’re a repulsive little piece of shit who’s about to lose all the sensation in his arm if you don’t step back right this instant._

“Because she’s accounted for.” Hearing Levi‘s voice at that instant brought about a sense of relief and security over her as he finally reemerged from god-knows-where, unmistakably revolted and disquieted by the circumstances that were laid bare in front of him. Arno froze in fear and recognition at the sight of the captain, drunken bravado disappearing without a trace from his person as Levi shot him a pointed glare that made even Nile uneasy. “You heard her. No means no. Or is that pea-sized brain of yours drowning in so much wine that it’s incapable of comprehending such a simple word?”

“Captain Levi! I- I didn’t realize you were together! My- my sincerest apologies!” Arno stammered, face shriveling in horror as he immediately released Piper. Without missing a beat, Piper harshly elbowed his sternum, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to double over in pain as she pushed him away and towards Nile, repulsed.

“I’ll take it from here,” Nile stated as he steadied his inebriated charge, immensely disappointed. “Apologies for inconveniencing the both of you, especially you, Piper. Rest assured that Arno will be placed under disciplinary action for his unacceptable behavior. Please, enjoy the rest of the evening.” 

“Let’s go, I managed to get us a table.” Levi said to her as he gently took her hand and guided her away from Arno and through the buzzing room. The softness in his tone and expression returned, and Piper flinched at the contact of her hand with his, turmoil stirring within her as she sought the surprising comfort of his touch. “Your hand’s freezing.” he expressed after a while, brows furrowed in concern as he worriedly rubbed the back of her palm with his thumb.

Piper kept her head down and wearily gazed at the hand he held, unable to look him in the eye. _This_ was unbecoming of her. She’d been completely out of it since this morning, and she detested how helpless and little she felt and appeared in the midst of it all- this wasn’t who she was supposed to be. “My hands are always cold,” she dismissed, brushing off his concerns as she anxiously squeezed his hand in hopes of passing the gesture off as a form of reassurance from her end; she didn’t want to burden Levi any further. That’s all she’d been doing the entire day. “I’m fine.” _No, I’m not fine at all._

Piper released his hand and wobbled towards the empty table that was beckoning for them- she’d been so preoccupied with the whole ordeal with Arno and Nile that she’d managed to somehow forget about her throbbing feet and unsteady heels- and watched in confusion as he shut his eyes in contemplation and peeled off his blazer. 

“Here, wear this,” Levi stated calmly as he placed the garment on her shoulders, his tone and expression still exhibiting the uncharacteristic warmth and tenderness. “You’ll catch a cold if you don’t cover up.” 

Piper clutched the edges of his jacket in shock, feeling another flush creep up her cheeks as it rested snugly on her shoulders, providing her with the much-needed warmth she’d been yearning for since the day began. She couldn’t accept it- this gesture was wholly inappropriate and strictly unprofessional in her eyes. _Why are you like this all of a sudden, midget?_

“No,” she shook her head vehemently, nonplussed as she attempted to take the jacket off, only to be stopped midway by him. “I’m fine. You don’t have to-”

“Piper, your hands are freezing, and you’ve been shivering this entire time. Don’t act like I haven’t noticed.”

“People have been staring at me this whole time,” she warned, glancing around warily. “I know you mean well- which is fucking surprising actually, especially from you, jackass- but I’ve already garnered way too much attention to myself because of that incident with Arno, and walking around this party wearing _your_ coat is sure to send the wrong idea to these buffoons.”

“It’s just a blazer, imp.” Levi pressed, giving her wrist a light squeeze when she tried to take it off again. “Just take it, please.” 

_You’re not giving up, are you?_

“I- fine.” Piper dropped her hand in surrender and relaxed her shoulders, allowing the lent coat to freely drape over her as she pulled the chair back and sat down in resignation. “Thanks.” she mumbled, looking at him as he gripped the top rail of her chair and remained standing, surveying the crowd.

“Why didn’t you bring a coat?”

“I was supposed to, but four-eyes wouldn’t let me. Idiot kept insisting it would throw my whole look off.”

“Of course she would.” he grumbled, fluidly taking a glass of wine from a passing server’s tray and setting it down in front of her before setting off towards the general direction of the main gathering. “Whatever. Try to keep warm, and stay there. I’ll handle the rest of the talking.” 

“Hey- where are you going?”

“Quit worrying for a second, Brunswick, and just enjoy yourself. I’ll be back.” 

He truly was an enigma. _A wildcard in this wicked game._ Every time Piper was certain that she’d finally figured him out, he would simply pull the unthinkable, and throw her back into the same loop of confusion. It was terrifying yet magnetic how unpredictable Levi was towards her. On the outside- and most days- he was this detached, straight-laced son of a bitch she absolutely detested, but there were rare and intimate times- just like this, where she genuinely enjoyed his company, and he was unnervingly compassionate and understanding to her for reasons entirely unknown. She hated it. She hated how conflicted he made her feel, and she absolutely hated the nagging, indescribable feeling at the very depths of her being that kept her restless at night these past few weeks. _If only he wasn’t such a complicated person._

Piper sank lower on her chair and readjusted the blazer on her shoulders, clutching its sleeves contemplatively as she caught a whiff of his scent from it, stomach buzzing and heart skipping a beat as she felt her cheeks redden for the nth time tonight. _I bet those girls out there would kill for this jacket of his. I could earn a reasonable amount by selling this,_ she mulled, smiling pathetically to herself. 

“Fuck people, and fuck feelings, right?” Piper sighed defeatedly, burying her face in her hands and giving in and surrendering to her tumultuous emotions. She raised the glass of wine and took a swig, watching Levi from afar as he smoothly interacted with the officials and aristocrats who approached, periodically glancing back at her direction to see if she was still there before nodding firmly and diverting his attention back to the people he conversed with.

Their evening was off to a _great_ start, and she was positive that they both had a long night ahead of them. 

Oh, this was just the beginning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr saw it first, but I made a moodboard for this arc in general. Ngl, this whole arc's probably my favorite part of the fic as of late.  
> 
> 
> [Art Deco- Lana Del Rey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbLGjeR9bvI)  
> (Go give this song a listen too because this song heavily inspired this chapter and the succeeding ones ;-0) 
> 
> As usual, see y'all in the next, and comments and kudos are highly appreciated!


	10. Party for Two (The Evening in Mitras, Part 2)

No matter how hard she tried, social gatherings never ceased to render Piper incapable. She’d struggled with public interactions ever since she was a child; conversing with various strangers for reasons she couldn’t grasp made her stumble over her words and thoughts, stepping onstage and presenting speeches for numerous individuals she didn’t personally know or establish a formal connection with gave her nightmares, and the mere thought of older, affluent folk staring at her- judging her presence from head to toe and criticizing the very depths of her being- often sent her into an inconsolable frenzy of panic and incoherence.

Thus, it made sense for her to thrive in crime and underground dealings; a lifestyle of misconduct demanded utmost discretion, blending into the shadows, and keeping away from unwanted attention or the spotlight- it was perfect for her. Criminals and killers alike frequently shared one common characteristic, and that was their tremendous lack of social skills. Besides, commonfolk never dared to suspect the quiet ones, and this gave Piper a tremendous advantage in her craft. People were certain that only the boisterous and unhinged individuals were capable of committing to a life of crime and deceit; they clung to the belief that the silent, unsociable ones were too cowardly or paralyzed by their fear of public attention to attempt to break even the simplest of rules.

This unfortunate stereotype was one of the main reasons why Piper excelled and got away with her antics as the Butcher of Mitras for over half a decade, with only a select few individuals knowing of or managing to successfully discover her true identity along the way. _The quiet ones always got away with the most heinous deeds._

Piper readjusted the blazer on her shoulders and swirled the wine on her glass as she detachedly observed the stage in front of her, barely paying attention as the aristocrat concluded his overly-patriotic speech riddled with flowery statements and half-hearted sentiments about sympathizing with the victims of the fall of Wall Maria, eliciting a standing ovation and poignant accolades from the beguiled audience that gathered before him as they howled and toasted their wine glasses in approval. _All talk, and no bite, of course_ , she thought to herself, cynicism taking hold yet again as she rested her chin against the top rail of her seat and downed the remaining contents of her wine glass, frowning. _These dimwits only care about themselves. As long as their fortunes and lives are secure, these two-faced scum wouldn’t even dare to spare a single coin for the needy._

“Fancy a dance with me, madam?” a pleasant, yet tremulous voice inquired, catching her attention. The young man in the pressed suit who stood before her was a far cry from the likes of Arno or Nile. He didn’t appear to be the revolting sort or have any underlying malice in his intentions, but Piper wasn’t in the mood for festivities. Truth be told, if given the chance, she would’ve done _anything_ just to escape the wretched place and trade the impractical dress and heels she wore; she was sick of posturing for the sake of attracting benefactors or keeping in the royal court's good graces. _This was supposed to be Erwin’s job, not mine._

“I’m sorry,” Piper replied, pursing her lips and turning around to face her bright-eyed suitor. “I’m not in the mood to dance.”

“That’s unfortunate,” he responded, glancing at the empty chair in front of her with a pondering look. “Mind if I keep you company? You look like you need it. It’s alright if you don’t want, or if you’re not comfortable with me. To be honest, I’m not really feeling this party either. I guess I’m just looking for someone I could probably relate to or hold a conversation with amidst all these important figures.”

_He’s rambling. Probably nervous._

_I know how you feel, bud, but I’ve had my fair share of unwanted company for the rest of this evening. Better luck next time._

“Sorry to let you down, but I’ve already got company.” Oddly enough, Piper felt bad for turning him away. _This soiree's getting to me, I'm growing soft_. She didn’t have the energy to entertain him or anyone, especially after the incident with Arno that nearly spiraled out of control. She really just wanted to go home, lock herself up in her quarters, and shut out everyone and everything for several days; she wasn’t sure she had any sense of dignity left in her. “You’d best get going if you know what’s good for you,” she added, casting him a sidelong glance as she shifted and redirected her attention towards the stage and the empty wine glass she held, signaling the end of their conversation. “My partner’s not as tolerant as me.”

“Oh, I see. May I have your name, at least? In case we stumble into each other again in the near future.”

“Aster.” _A pretentious-sounding name, fit for a pretentious little bastard who’s trying to survive this pretentious celebration._

_Compulsive lying at its finest._

_I’d probably be richer than the king right now if I had a coin for every single time I lied. Someone should seriously keep track, and compensate me for this._

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aster. I wish you a pleasant evening.” She didn’t have to look back at him to know that he had already taken his leave and departed, and for that, Piper was glad. A few more moments ambled by as she idly watched the new speaker onstage who monotonously drawled on.

“Aster, huh?” _Not another one of these blokes. Move along shitface, I know the name sounds pretentious, and no I will not dance with you._

“What the fuck do you want-” Piper instinctively lifted her gaze from the wine glass and brusquely turned away from the stage to face her new intruder, only to stop herself midway upon realizing it was just Levi who had finally returned from his bout of socializing with the different nobles, teacup in one hand and a filled wine glass in the other as he stared at her with a raised brow. “Oh, it’s just you,” she mumbled afterwards, flashing him an apologetic glance as she gestured towards the direction her previous suitor went off to. “Thought you were another persistent idiot who wanted to ask me for a dance or something.”

“You’re a handful, you know?” Levi stated in response, exhaling heavily as he sat down and shook his head before handing the replenished wine glass which Piper appreciatively took. “You alright?”

“Could be better,” she shrugged nonchalantly before taking another sip of the burgundy liquid. “It’s still cold as hell, all these idiots are staring at me as if I’ve somehow managed to grow a third eye in the middle of my forehead, and this party’s too loud for my liking. But hey, who am I to complain, right? It’s all part of the job.”

Silence befell their table as their short-lived conversation fizzled out, and Piper redirected her attention back to the stage as another presenter stepped into the spotlight and droned on about his ambitions and fickle dreams for the future of Mitras (heavy emphasis on Mitras- and _just Mitras_ , of course). The current speaker was blander and more predictable than the previous two fools she had watched, and she was finding it harder to maintain her focus and take them seriously as the minutes passed. 

Eventually disinterested and turned off by the heavy politics and nonsensical flatteries that littered his so-called speech (if you could even consider it a speech; in all honesty, it sounded as if the bloke just strung together a bunch of ‘big’ words and called it a day), Piper decided to observe the center of the ballroom with great disdain as several guests gathered and danced to the melodious music that the hired musicians produced. _At least the music here is pleasant_ , she thought as the established pianist opted for a slower, melodic rhythm and signaled his accompaniment to follow suit.

“Look at them,” she scoffed, glancing at her raven-haired companion who was also intently observing the frivolous celebrations that commenced before them. “Dancing and drinking without a care in the world as if nothing’s out of place and everything’s alright. You wouldn’t even think that we’re undergoing a humanitarian crisis based on how much they’re all enjoying themselves over there.”

“That’s the rich for you,” Levi said as he shut his eyes in contemplation and lifted the cup of tea to his lips. “They live sheltered, privileged lives, so you can’t expect them to properly empathize with the struggles of the people beneath them. They wouldn’t have any inkling whatsoever about suffering and hardships because they’re too concerned about preserving their own glorified shit.”

Piper didn’t bother with a verbal response and simply continued watching in silence as the people waltzed, motions and colors blurring together to replicate an abstract painting as the vibrant dresses of the dancing women gracefully swept the floor every time they spun, forming what appeared to be a colorful, ever-moving sea of silks, velvets, chiffons, and tulles. They were all dancing at their own pace- some visibly trying to outdance or outperform their counterparts, but the commotion was still pleasant to the eye. In a sense, one could even consider the sight as romantic, and the warm, golden light that emanated from the intricate, overhanging chandeliers further amplified the picturesque atmosphere of it all. 

Others who were eagerly awaiting their turn to dance swooned and gushed as some of the men dramatically hoisted their partners upwards, earning a round of applause from spectators. It felt and looked like a scene that was ripped out of those typical, cliche fairytale books. All that was lacking was a pauper who had enamored the wonderful Prince Charming and said Prince Charming who was willing to risk it all just to be able to dance with her for all the world to see.

_If only this was a fairytale, and I was one of those fortunate paupers waiting to be whisked away by Prince Charming._

_Life would’ve been so much better compared to this shitshow I have to endure._

“Nearly everyone’s busy dancing now.” Piper declared, briefly looking away from the ballroom to survey the neighboring tables. True enough, most of the nearby chairs and tables were empty; the small percentage of partygoers who were scattered throughout the area, far from the ballroom, comprised of older officials and aristocrats who were well past their primes to engage in such an energetic and physically tasking activity, along with unfortunate individuals who just didn’t luck out and score a partner in time. _Talk about humiliating._

“Change of heart?” Levi questioned, snapping Piper out of her trance and prompting her to flash him an incredulous scowl as she finished the second glass of wine. “It’s a slow tune. You should go and take that other guy's offer for a dance while it's early.”

“Perish the thought, I was just appreciating the view,” she scoffed bitterly, vehemently shaking her head as she motioned to the nearby server to retrieve the two empty glasses in front of her and replenish her drink. _I should probably take it slow with the alcohol._ “Even if I _did_ want to dance tonight, I can’t dance for shit, and more importantly, I could barely walk in these bloody heels- you should know. You can’t seriously expect me to carry myself in a dance if I keep tripping over my own goddamn feet. I’ll get trampled alive if I even dare to bother.” 

“Is that the only thing that’s stopping you?”

“I mean, yeah.” Piper momentarily met his gaze and shrugged as she placidly drummed her fingers on the table. _Bingo midget, you’ve read my mind. Seriously, are you psychic or something?_ “I’d rather not make a fool of myself out there and have you clean up for me again. We already have a shitty reputation as it is, and I’m fairly certain that having me dance with those buffoons is a surefire way to further complicate things for us.”

Levi glanced past her shoulder, ruminative as the current batch of dancers concluded their performance, making the audience erupt into another bout of raucous applause. His dark eyes flickered between the musicians and the main ballroom, frown deepening as though he were deliberating something trivial and important. Upon hearing the first few notes that sounded from the grand piano as the accompaniment began a new tune that echoed through the high walls and domed ceilings of the villa, he immediately stood up from his seat and approached Piper, bewildering her.

“Pipsqueak, what’s up?” she asked, standing up in turn and following his distant look as she received the new glass of wine from the server who had just returned. “You look like you’re contemplating whether or not it’s a good idea to stab these pompous bastards in the face or something. I’d be down to back you up, you know. Especially if it gives us a valid excuse to finally leave this place.”

The stoic captain blinked, and Piper heard the signature “Tch.” escape his lips as he seemingly came to his senses. “Take my hand,” he then instructed, an unfamiliar glint settling in his murky irises as he eventually tore his eyes from the center, and Piper’s brows knitted in confusion as she met his narrow gaze and habitually fiddled with the collar of his blazer to ease her nerves.

“...What for?”

“Come on, while the music’s slow,” he responded softly, and Piper could’ve sworn that a slight flush was creeping up his cheeks in that instant as he extended his hand. _It’s probably just the lighting._ _Or am I seeing things?_ “I’ll teach you how to dance.”

_I’m sorry, you’re gonna do what now?_

“What the- no.” Piper slapped his hand away and stepped back, puzzled. _Is it the wine? No, he’s been drinking that pretentious tea of his ever since. Wait, is his fucking tea spiked? No- shit, no. Maybe it’s the wine I've been drinking. It’s probably me; I must be hearing AND seeing things._ “No. No way, midget. Were you even paying attention to what I said earlier? I couldn’t walk straight with these godforsaken heels on, for crying out loud.”

“Then take off those stupid heels. You look miserable in them anyways.”

“Aww, are they bothering you because it adds a few inches to my height?” she jeered as she decided to mockingly pat him on the head, provoking a disgruntled scowl to cross his face at once. Piper was dead set and willing to stir up another petty and needless altercation with him just to stall time and avoid dancing altogether. “If you wanted to borrow them, you could’ve just told me! Although I’m not entirely sure that they'd fit you. It wouldn’t hurt to try though. The additional height’s definitely worth the risk.”

“Take off your heels, Piper.” Levi barked, taking advantage of her outstretched hand that was still busy patting his head and snatching it before she could even register what was happening. “That’s an order.”

Piper flinched at his touch and felt a bright crimson wash over her face when he gave her hand a light squeeze. The same queasy feeling reemerged and gnawed at the pits of her stomach, and she hung her head in resignation upon realizing that it was hopeless to argue. “Do you even know how to dance in the first place?” she muttered, inelegantly kicking her heels underneath the table before shifting her weight uncomfortably as her bare feet tried to adjust to the cold marble floor. “You definitely don’t strike me as the dancing sort.”

Levi didn’t respond and simply looked away, the tension in his jaw apparent. _Oh my god, he doesn’t know how to dance._ “Let me guess,” Piper trailed with a knowing intonation, hand on hip and a wry smile inching up the corners of her mouth as he refused to look at her. “You don’t know how to dance as well.” 

“...We’ll figure it out along the way,” he muttered irritably, clicking his tongue. “Now hurry up.”

_You've got to be kidding me, midget._

“Seriously, are you unwell? Did someone spike your tea? Did you hit your head? Should I call for a doctor now?” Piper apprehensively fiddled with one of the buttons of his jacket in an attempt to distract herself when they began approaching the crowd. She could feel numerous pairs of eyes landing on them, stares of fascination, condescension, and intrigue joining together to watch in envy or longing as he dragged her in for a dance. _Most girls would willingly kill or immediately jump at the rare opportunity of accompanying Levi to a dance_ , she recalled Hanji’s statement from the previous day. “This really isn’t like you, you know.”

She was thoroughly convinced now that there was something in his tea that was making him act this way. _It’s the only logical and realistic explanation behind this idiot’s out of character behavior. Perhaps a potent drug of some sort? Hallucinogens? Bleach? Fuck, I don’t know anymore._

_Why are you so goddamn confusing?_

“It’s mandatory to participate in at least one dance throughout the evening,” he explained, looking back at her with the same uncharacteristic warmth in his eyes. She hitched her breath and felt her stomach knot as she stared at their intertwined hands, cheeks burning an embarrassing tinge of bright crimson when he gave her hand another gentle squeeze and stroked the back of her palm with his thumb as a form of reassurance. “Call it absurd, or whatever colorful insult you could think of at this point, but that’s just the way it is with these stupid gatherings. I’m trying to do you a favor here.”

“If I trip over my feet and fall-”

“I’ll catch you.” he gave her hand one final squeeze in hopes of appeasing her visible discomfort, and Piper mentally chastised herself for allowing her mind to slip and inappropriately wander and dwell around the electrifying softness of his hand. _Stop it. Stop it, Piper. Don’t you dare._

“This is your way of getting back at me for all the bullshit I’ve spewed or thrown at you these past few months now, isn’t it?” Piper questioned, plodding behind Levi at a steady pace as he continued to lead her towards the center, ignoring the hushed whispers that were starting to circulate from the hawk-eyed crowd. “Fine. You win. Let’s just get this over with, so we can all go home and never talk about this instance ever again.”

“Whatever you say. And stop standing like you’re trying to hold in your shit, people are looking at us.”

“What am I… what am I supposed to do?” _Ignore the prying eyes, and you’ll be fine. Deep breaths._

“Fuck’s sake you really are hopeless, imp. Give me your hands.”

“You’re already holding my other hand, midget.”

“Give me your _other_ hand,” Levi demanded. Piper bit the inside of her cheek and reluctantly extended her free hand, watching as he patiently guided it to the back of his shoulder. “Try to maintain this position.”

“Is… that it?” she wondered, her entire body stiffening and jolting in shock when he loosely wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, closing the gap between them. The scent of tea that clung to him was much stronger and overpowering- intoxicating even, in comparison to the smell of linen and bleach that bled from his coat and inevitably clung to her skin, mixing with her own scent. 

The room was spinning out of control; everything felt so distant and surreal. The taste of bile lingered at the back of her tongue, and her racing heartbeat drowned out the music and the deafening commotion that surrounded them. The moving figures that danced alongside them were blurring together into an indistinguishable backdrop of golds, greys, beiges, and blacks, making the very man who was standing mere inches away from her stand in sharp contrast against the chaotic mess of it all. “You’re- you’re too close.” Piper breathed, voice shaky and eyes darting everywhere as she began to squirm and panic, accidentally stomping on his foot in the process. “I can’t do this, I can’t fucking do this.” _This isn’t appropriate._

Levi restrained a wince and quickly recovered his footing before adjusting his grip on her waist, steadying her. “Piper, try not to look around and stop squirming. It’s only going to make things worse,” he instructed evenly. “If it’ll help you recognize the rhythm better, pretend that you’re sparring with me.”

“I don’t know about you, but this certainly doesn’t feel like we’re bashing each other’s faces in or kicking each other in places where the sun doesn’t shine.”

“Calm down, and think of it this way: if we were fighting right now, and I stepped towards my left and aimed for your right, where would you go?”

“Step to my left to dodge your punch.” Shutting her eyes, Piper heeded her own words and cautiously moved to the left as she tried to picture the scenario in her head, earning a hum of approval from Levi who immediately followed, satisfied with her answer. “Naturally, I’d follow up by lunging forward and aiming for your right, because I’d have an opening.” Gaining a sliver of confidence, she opened her eyes and mimicked her fighting stance, placing her left foot forward before appropriately twisting her body to the right, allowing him to respond by stepping backwards with his right foot.

“We’re moving clockwise and repeating the same alternating footwork,” he affirmed, swiftly altering their direction to avoid stumbling into another dancing pair. “Underneath all those fancy routines you’re seeing is the same basic concept. Just pay attention to the music, and you'll be fine.”

Her limbs felt like jelly, and she’d lost all sensation in her fingers and toes as they continued- or rather, as _she_ continued awkwardly shuffling across the ballroom. Levi’s movements were fluid and graceful in comparison to hers, which were awkward and graceless. _Even a wet rag doll that’s been drying under the sun for too long is guaranteed to be better at dancing than I am._

The dance they shared felt like it lasted forever as if time itself had chosen to cease to exist within that very moment. Everything was seemingly moving in slow motion- from the flickering candle flames, the swishing dresses, the twirling women, down to the tempo of the fading music that was signaling the inevitable conclusion of their dance. Mustering the courage to meet the cool eyes that had displayed nothing but unwavering warmness and compassion for her, Piper lifted her head after spending most of the time watching her feet and observed his face which was devoid of the morose expression he typically harbored, memorizing each painstaking detail as she burned the very image of him at the back of her head. Her mind was swimming again; swimming in a pool of uncertainty and confusion as she found herself drowning in those steely, cobalt orbs. 

The final note eventually sounded, and a round of vigorous applause echoed and bounced through the walls of the room as they concluded their dance. _It’s over, just like that._ She wanted more. It was a selfish thought, but she yearned for the experience to last a little longer. _Just a few more minutes, midget!_ she’d wanted to yell at him, and she found it surprising. 

_Looks like Levi’s not the only one who’s acting out of character. Fuck’s sake, I’m a mess._

“That.. wasn’t so bad,” Piper admitted to Levi, a faint smile resting on her lips as she retracted her hands and peeled away from him. _Thank you_ , she’d wanted to say, but the words never left her mouth. “And if you look over there,” she impishly declared instead, crossing her arms before furtively nudging her head towards a group of women who were standing by the sidelines and giggling amongst themselves, hopelessly smitten as they visibly fawned and gushed over her raven-haired partner. “You’ll see that you’ve gained quite the following. Why don’t you go ahead and ask them for a dance?”

Levi shook his head and threw the infatuated bunch a quick apathetic glance, prompting them to squeal and lose their composure. _Good god, these women are deprived._ “Don’t even think about it, imp.” he muttered under his breath, fed up. 

“Then let’s get out of here, pipsqueak,” she chuckled, shooting him a pitiful look as she held his hand and tugged him away from the fawning crowd. “We fucking deserve it.”


	11. A Night to Remember (The Evening in Mitras, Part 3)

The silver moon rested peacefully in the midnight sky, far beyond the reach of the towering Walls and the snaking spires of the royal castle that tried to graze the horizon. Not a single cloud was in sight, and numerous stars were speckled throughout, shimmering and twinkling like spilled glitter; these celestial bodies altogether cast elongated shadows upon the smooth cobblestone as the two of them exited the unnecessarily massive doors of the expensive villa and welcomed the barren, moonlit streets of Mitras.

Piper inhaled sharply, thankful for the fresh, biting air that graced her lungs. After shrugging the lingering tension in her body and exhaling heavily, she watched in profound silence as the steam escaped her lips and ascended to the sky before dissipating entirely. The temperature had dropped significantly during their stay, and given the chill that clung to the air, she was certain that winter was just around the corner. They probably just had a few weeks left of autumn.

“Where to now?” she questioned aloud, keeping her eyes trained to the stars as she glanced at Levi from her periphery. “Back to Trost, I’m guessing?”

“It’s far too late to ride back to HQ. It took us the entire day to get here,” he responded, placing a hand on her shoulder and turning her around before carefully repositioning the blazer that hung over her frame. “And wear this properly, will you? It’s freezing. I didn’t lend you my coat just to have you slackly drape it over your shoulders.”

"Hey, seriously. You can have it back if you’re freezing-”

“I’m not having this argument again. You need it more than I do.”

“Alright, alright.” Piper shrugged her arms and slipped them through each sleeve, welcoming the additional warmth it provided. It hadn’t occurred to her until then how much bigger his jacket was in comparison to her size despite roughly being the same height as him. She was practically swimming in it, and the fabric dwarfed her petite figure even further when Levi finished buttoning it up. _Now I definitely resemble a ten-year-old child who’s forcing themselves into adult clothes._ “Happy now?” she mentioned afterwards, looking at him; he simply shook his head and offered his arm as he began approaching the steps. 

“Bringing it back to the topic,” Piper resumed, skeptical when she glanced around the vicinity and found no trace of their carriage. “If we’re not riding back tonight, where the hell are we supposed to go?”

“Erwin’s expecting us to stay the night here in Mitras,” Levi stated, assuring her as he casually tapped his right pocket which produced a muffled sound of jangling coins. “Riding back at this time of the night would be too exhausting on the coachman and the horses- let alone dangerous, so he’s provided an allowance for overnight accommodations.” He shoved his hand down the pocket and fished for the bag, hurriedly flashing Piper its contents before placing the leather packet back inside. “The coach is coming back for us at daybreak.”

“In the mood for an evening stroll then?” she inquired, jutting her thumb out towards the street and leaning her head to the side as she took his arm and began descending the steps with him. “The night is young, and Mitras _is_ particularly scenic at this time of the night. Trust me, it’s from personal experience.”

“It’s eleven-thirty, last I checked. We should head to the nearest hotel immediately.”

“Come on now, midget, don’t revert to the typical buzzkill you are. It’s been five months since I last graced this hellhole with my presence,” Piper insisted, unintentionally squeezing his forearm when her foot nearly missed the final step. _Damn these stupid heels, I’m gonna make Hanji eat these fuckers the moment I get back._ “Besides, you can act as my personal repellent in case a thief tries to jump us. Just ‘tch’ at them and they’ll probably shit their pants or something.”

“Tch.”

“See?” she pointed out, smirking in amusement when he shot her a pointed, unamused stare. “Come on now, let me show you around. We can scout for a hotel along the way too, unless you’re planning to sleep on the sidewalk.”

“Make it fast.” Levi answered, giving in to her request. Under the cover of darkness which masked their figures and left but the faintest outline of their shifting silhouettes, Piper flashed him an appreciative smile, refusing to let him or the scarce lighting catch on to her rare display of positive, upbeat emotion as she watched his slate-colored irises fixate on the dimly-lit street. _You won’t regret this._

The flames encased within the streetlamps flickered in response to the late breeze that periodically blew, casting a circular illumination of washed-out amber upon the spotless cobblestone as they ambled along with no particular direction in mind. Stillness accompanied their every step and anticipated them in every corner, making way for rumination as they recounted the day’s events while simultaneously observing their empty surroundings, engrossed in their own ceaseless thoughts and wonders.

Piper dazedly watched her reflection in each passing window, perplexed by the remorseless figure that stared back at her with unwavering intensity. _Ghastly skin, dull eyes devoid of the mundane enthusiasm and vigor for life, and a paradoxical expression that was neither too serious nor too pleasant, yet undoubtedly emanated a placid, somewhat-hopeful vibe_ ; it was like staring back at a resurrected corpse who was pleased to discover that they had been miraculously given another chance at life, and she found it slightly poetic and somewhat reflective of the inner turmoil she’d been battling in the recent weeks. _Have I changed so much within such a short period that even my own reflection startles me?_ she thought, peering up at Levi from underneath the curtain of hair that partially shielded her face when they reached the plaza square, a wave of nostalgia washing over her as she spotted its familiar sights and recalled all that had gone down in that area during that one particular day.

The central square still had the same set-up as it did several months back, with most of the market stalls situated across the opening of the main street (where they currently stood) and the vast clearing, towards the brightly-lit sector that served as a back-alley passage and intersection from the central business district. The stalls were boarded and cloaked to secure the various merchandise they offered from unwanted visitors or slippery thieves, but she could still distinguish from afar which stall was which based on the distinct contours their underlying contents cast against the protective drapes.

A lone Military Police soldier listlessly patrolled the illuminated section, the butt of his rifle drooping and scratching against the cobblestone as he released a stifled yawn and carried on with no regard for the dragging weapon on his back. He didn’t seem to notice the two of them- _or maybe he did, but he’s just ignoring us_ \- so she continued down the plaza with the raven-haired captain. 

“You see, this oh-so-detestable market square holds some significant importance to me.” Piper’s gaze grew distant as she studied the area, eyebrows drawn together and lips pressed down into a firm line. “Five months ago, Julia and I met Erwin here, right on this very… spot,” she added, crouching down on the curb beside the apple stall, reminiscing. “If you look hard enough, you’ll probably even see a faint splotch of my blood on this particular corner.”

“Killed someone?” he inquired, swiping a hand across the surface of the apple stall before curling his lip in disgust and wringing his hand in reaction to the thick layer of dust that coated its wooden surface.

“Almost,” she chuckled, a rueful smile resting on her face as Levi continued dusting off his hand against the wooden post with a scowl. “It was a set-up.”

“What?”

“We had a job that day, and it was a set-up,” Piper stood up from the curb and habitually met his quizzical gaze, giving him a once-over before setting off towards the gaping hole in the farthest reach of the illuminated intersection. “We had a contractor who offered a fuckton of money and the promise of citizenship here in Mitras if we took out a target who was dropping by that very apple stall at noontime. Never saw the guy of course- all transactions were made through a middleman, and the prick even gave us a downpayment. We knew the job was suspicious from the get-go, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Life in the Underground was too shitty for our liking, and we needed to get out, fast.”

The light from the streetlamp she stood underneath flickered and dwindled in brightness as the wind blew, threatening to extinguish the dying flame entirely. Piper shuddered and stuffed her hands inside the pockets of his blazer, ridding herself of the pitiful smile she fleetingly displayed before pausing and turning back, waiting for him to catch up. 

“The plaza was packed, but the target showed up at the intended time and place, so we tried to take advantage of the commotion and closed in for the kill. Turns out, Nile and his cohorts were hiding amongst the crowd, waiting for us to take the bait they’ve orchestrated.”

“Let me guess,” Levi replied in a matter-of-fact tone, gazing at the clock when the tolling bells penetrated the quiet atmosphere, signaling the arrival of the midnight hour. “Erwin was within the vicinity when all this happened, so he came to save your skins and made a bargain that you couldn’t refuse. _Typical_.”

“Gotta hand it to him though, I wouldn’t be here right now, wandering this pretentious city with you, if it weren’t for his meddlesome ass. Can’t picture how boring your life would’ve been,” she was smiling to herself again, like some giddy preschooler who was up to no good. “Imagine not having a wanted, impressionable mass-murderer show you around because she feels indebted for all the things you’ve done for her tonight. Really gets you thinking, doesn’t it?”

“Sounds like paradise to me. I would’ve had some peace of mind.”

“I smell bullshit. You’re reeking of it, midget.”

“Tch.” The corner of his mouth twitched upwards, and a faint flush emerged on his cheeks- probably a trick of the light or an illusion brought about by the shadows. “Because I’m stuck with you, imp,” Levi lifted his hand and softly whacked the back of her head, fingers momentarily lingering and moving delicately in-between untameable flaxen locks as he traced the weave of her loose braid, tenderly picking up the strands that fell to her face and tucking them away before pulling back. “ _Your_ bullshit’s rubbing off on me.”

“Glad to know that I’m helping a certain Mr. Uptight loosen up.” Piper awkwardly coughed and averted her eyes, feeling the heat rise to her face as her mind shamelessly sought the balminess of his touch. Carefully, she approached the recognizable staircase that led to the Underground, its dreariness pervading the placid atmosphere of the plaza. It was impossible to see beyond the first three steps, and a heavy feeling struck her as she gaped at the black abyss.

“And if you look over here, you’ll see one of the main access points to the Underground: this vile, detestable gloryhole I used to call home teeming with impoverished life, illegal activities, and reeking of shit and sewage waste twenty-four seven.” she declared, composing herself and dismissing the gnawing mixture of emotions that flooded her system as she looked over her shoulder and faced Levi whose features were immediately clouded by stolidity and displeasure. “Wanna try sneaking in? I could show you our ruddy little shack if that piece of crap’s still standing.”

“This shithole brings back a lot of unfavorable memories,” his voice was heavy, and Piper noticed the tension that settled on his jaw as he stood beside her and peered at the entrance with hesitance. “I’d rather not go back and relive those experiences all over again.”

“So the rumors are true then? You’re from around here, too?”

“Takes one to know one,” Levi bitterly shrugged as he studied the lone pebble on the ground, picking it up and brushing a thumb through its rough surface before passing it over to her and placing it on her palm. “It’s exactly why Erwin put me in charge of monitoring you and Julia.”

_Birds of a feather flock together, huh?_

“Makes sense,” she mumbled, weighing the stone in her hand as she repeatedly tested out the strength of her toss and adjusted her trajectory. “You’ve got that harsh, lifeless look about you; the ones people who’ve gotten the short end of the stick in life share.”

_Yeah, I think I understand you better now._

Piper tossed the pebble- another unfortunate victim of her lethargic pastime- and watched as it ultimately tumbled down the worn-out, grime-coated steps, the sound of stone crashing against stone echoing through the opening of the steep cavern as the rock vanished into the crawling abyss, never to be seen again. _It’d be a miracle if that stone ever saw the light of day again. Good thing it’s inanimate._

“We should head out now,” he insisted, taking her hand and departing from her side. “It’s getting late.”

“You’re heading the wrong way,” Piper called out, squeezing his hand in turn and signaling for him to stop in his tracks as she stepped back from the entrance and pointed across the street, towards the establishment that sported a flamboyant archway at its entrance and multiple curtained windows; some had their lights on, their curtains drawn, or their lattices wide open, indicating human activity. _You could even hear people laughing if you paid close attention._ “Hotel’s _this way_.” she added, furrowing a brow at him as she tugged his hand and headed for the door. 

The overpowering aroma of cedarwood and lavender wafted in the air and greeted them as they stepped inside the hotel’s reception area, resulting in her head throbbing and her sinuses flaring up as the smell overwhelmed her senses. Wrinkling her nose, Piper withdrew from Levi and settled by the lounge, watching as he nodded understandingly to her before approaching the receptionist. 

Despite the late hour, the reception was buzzing with activity. A handful of nocturnal travelers occupied the other corner of the lounge, their hefty bags and durable outerwear quite telling of their distant origins. On the adjacent corner, some affluent individuals huddled amongst themselves and spoke in hushed tones, occasionally sticking their heads out to sneak a condescending glance at her or the other people in the room as if they were keeping an eye out for unwanted vagrants. _Is it really a hotel in Mitras if we don’t have the cliche snobby guests? Of course not._

Sinking onto the leather couch felt heavenly; the day’s pent-up exhaustion had finally caught up to her, and she felt the brunt of her fatigue the moment her body made contact with the couch’s cushions. Her entire body was aching and felt as though it had suddenly doubled in weight, and her heels were numb. Sighing, Piper reclined her head and quietly looked at the ceiling, struggling to maintain consciousness and keep her eyelids from drooping.

The ambient noise faded into the backdrop before muffling out, and the ceiling spun as she found herself inevitably dozing off. It was short-lived though, for the arm she slung on top of the rest dangled limply behind the couch, and her head slipped from its position and dipped, resulting in her neck cramping up. Embarrassed, she stood up from the couch and decided to help herself with the pitcher of cold water by the stack of coffee table books and newspapers in hopes of waking herself up. 

“What?!” Levi’s alarmed voice rang through the reception hall, startling her along with the small number of guests who were awaiting their turn by the expensive-looking leather chairs. At once, Piper left her place and made her way towards his side by the counter, eager to determine what could’ve possibly ticked him at such an ungodly hour.

“I’m sorry sir, but no matter what you do, this money isn’t sufficient,” the receptionist explained, apprehension written all over his face. “The best I could do is book a single bedroom for both of you.”

“The hell do you mean?” Levi further raised his voice and slammed a fist on the desk, rattling the coins, the diffuser that was responsible for the migraine-inducing cedarwood and lavender blend, and the mini lamp on the far end, nearly causing it to tip over and fall; one of the guests flinched at his aggressive behavior, and Piper cocked a tired brow as she folded her arms, intrigued. “This is more than enough!”

“Sir, please keep your voice down, you’re disturbing the other guests.” Beads of sweat began to form on the receptionist’s temples as he raised his hands and gestured for Levi to calm down whilst nervously shifting his eyes between the two of them and the guests in the back, panic and distress written all over his face when one of the older individuals in the back scoffed in disapproval. _These two are unbecoming and undeserving to be in this fine establishment,_ the man seemingly wanted to convey through his scoff, so she whipped around and briefly shot the arrogant man a sideward glance in response, prompting him to turn away from them. “I’m going to have to ask you both to leave if-”

“No, no.” Piper coarsely intervened and plucked the packet of coins from the table, impatience brought about by her exhaustion kicking in as she observed its contents with a furrowed brow and a tight-pressed lip, mentally computing its total sum. “My bitchy partner over here’s got a point,” she subsequently stressed, shooting the receptionist a dispassionate stare as she lethargically tossed the bag of coins back to Levi. “It’s more than enough. This amount’s capable of booking three rooms just a few months ago. You trying to scam the living shit out of us, or what?”

“You have to understand that our rates have increased since then,” he sighed in response, wary of the two ill-tempered individuals who were standing before him, _demanding_ answers, and unwilling to test his luck by successfully provoking either of them. _It’s been a rough night, and we just want to go to bed. This better be worth it._ “Ever since the fall of Wall Maria, Mitras has had an influx of travelers and refugees. Most of the hotels within the vicinity have experienced overbooking within the past few months because of this, so the local government had collectively decided to increase our standard rates to free up accommodations. Forgive us for the inconvenience.”

“Bullshit, it’s all bullshit,” Piper cursed, agitatedly running a hand through her hair as she bit her lip in frustration and flashed her companion a pessimistic scowl. “As if this evening couldn’t get any worse.”

“The best I could do for you is book a single bedroom,” the receptionist repeated his alternative from earlier, hoping to reason and placate the two of them before wincing in turn when Levi reacted with his usual “Tch” upon hearing the alternative solution. Piper’s frown deepened, and she opened her mouth, initially intending to voice out a protest, before shutting it tersely as she opted to hear the receptionist out, albeit reluctantly. “It may not be ideal, and some compromises might have to be done between the two of you, but it’s certainly better than nothing.”

“By chance, did you bring any money?”

She shook her head, “Didn’t occur to me. I thought we were riding back to Trost after the party, remember?”

He slammed his fist again- although it was softer and much more restrained this time around- and she heard him mutter curses under his breath. The receptionist repositioned the lamp that tottered closer to the edge and awaited their decision as Levi continued to stare at the brass key he’d laid out for him, no doubt contemplating whether or not they should stick with the stuffy set-up, or try their luck- _or unluck, let’s be fucking honest here_ \- and take their chances someplace else.

“He’s got a point,” Piper shuffled closer and rested her arms against the edge of the counter, leaning forward to get a better look at him. “Something’s better than nothing.”

“...”

“We can’t guarantee that we’ll find some other decent accommodation that we can afford at this time of the night,” she slid the key across the surface of the table and bumped the edge of his hand, hoping he would finally accept the offer. “I’m telling you, short stack. I’m not planning on sleeping on the curb tonight.”

_It’s not so bad, to be honest. I could sleep on the floor or the chair. Beats sleeping outside, that’s for sure._

_… Maybe even on the toilet bowl if you’re really itching for some privacy. I mean, I’d like some privacy too, and sleeping inside a bathroom isn’t so bad either, as long as it’s clean. The place does get comfortably warm at times._

_Ugh, midget just take the key, you’re making me ramble in my head._

After what felt like an eternity of intense staring, Levi grimaced, clicked his tongue, and snatched the key off the table. “We’ll take it.” he grumbled, pocketing the brass and briskly heading for the stairwell.

Piper nodded to the receptionist and gestured for him to take the bag of coins as she pushed herself away from the counter and followed Levi. Their misfortunes were piling up, one after the other, and having to restrict themselves to a shared bedroom for the rest of the night was the final nail to the coffin to their growing list of unfortunate circumstances. _One thing’s for sure. Lady Luck’s not smiling down on us._

_I wonder what we both did to get on her bad side._

“Here’s how it’s going to be,” he began the moment she caught up to his side, taking out the key and examining the letters engraved on its leather tag. “You’ll take the bed, and I’ll stand guard outside your door. Just call me if you need anything.” 

“You know very well that I’m not agreeing to that,” Piper sighed, yanking Levi’s forearm and forcing him to face her as she squeezed her eyes shut in mild annoyance. “It’s inappropriate for _my_ superior to stand guard like some random lackey while I’m lounging off. I should be the one standing guard if worse comes to worst.”

“And I’m _not_ allowing you to stand outside of the room while I’m staying inside.”

“Well guess what, midget, I’m _not_ allowing you to stand outside of the room while I’m staying inside either,” she countered, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Sure I bitch about titles and the chain of command, but what subordinate in their right mind would let their superior take watch while they’re resting? It’s the other way around, buddy. Five months ago, you wouldn’t have had any qualms about me standing guard whatsoever. Hell, you definitely wouldn’t have hesitated to kick me out of the room.”

“Fuck’s sake, Piper. That was five months ago. Things are different now.”

“I don’t care what you say, midget.” Piper grabbed the key from his hand and jogged towards their respective door. “You are _not_ staying outside,” she continued, turning her back on him to block her shaky hand as she jammed the key inside the keyhole and twisted, making the door lock produce a satisfying click. “And I stand by that.” She shoved the key back inside his pocket and pushed the door open, glaring as she surveyed the room and adjusted her eyes to the dimness of the area.

True enough, there was only one bed, smack dab in the center of the room. 

_At least it’s a double bed_. Piper bit the inside of her cheek and irritably kicked her heels off, watching as the pair thudded against what seemed to be the side of the provided closet before making her way over to the window and drawing back its curtains, allowing the moonlight to shine through and provide faint illumination. Levi on the other hand stood by the table and chair situated near the door and eyed the bed with apprehension as she made her way back to him. 

“There’s a chair over here, and a table,” naturally, he inspected the surface of the table by swiping his index finger across its surface and rubbing his finger against the pad of his thumb, feeling for any particles or dust. “If it’ll shut you up and end this argument, then I’ll stay here for the time being.” Satisfied with the cleanliness of the table’s surface, he dropped his hand and reluctantly leaned on the doorframe, waiting for her reply. “Either way I wouldn’t be able to sleep in this place, and I’m not that tired, to begin with.”

_He’s lying._

She’d noticed it since the very beginning- the way he’d go out of his way to compromise for her, and never permitting the other way around. _But why?_

Like her, he was also exhausted. She could see it in the way he moved, and how he had to lean against something for support as if he were trying his hardest to stay awake. The heaviness in his voice persisted, and she could hear the strain in his words. The circles under his eyes were also darker than the usual, and he seemed paler. He was trying to downplay his exhaustion, that much she could tell. 

“You’re a terrible liar,” Piper positioned herself in front of Levi and grabbed the edge of the chair, preventing him from taking it. “Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You look like shit.”

“You’re one to talk-”

“Take the bed, I’ll take the chair,” she stressed, tightening her grip around the chair’s rest as she studied his face. “You’re exhausted, don’t fucking deny it. And you’ve done way too much for me for the entire evening already. Let me return the favor, short stack.”

Levi drew a sharp breath and shut his eyes as he took her hand and lifted it from the chair. “Don’t worry about it, Brunswick,” the words came out of his mouth as a mere whisper, much like a plea, and his dark eyes displayed so much warmth and gentleness as he guided her to the edge of the bed. “Get some rest, please.”

“Why are you so adamant in making me take the bed, anyways?” Piper sat on the bed, agitated, and gazed at her trembling hands as she tugged at her sleeves. _Why the fuck are my hands shaking?_ “I’m totally fine with sleeping on the chair,” she continued, pointing back at the chair as she looked him in the eye. “You need the bed more than I do.”

“Don’t give me that excuse,” he replied, sitting down beside her and shaking his head in resignation. “You’ve been miserable the entire day, and you were on the verge of passing out in the reception hall. I’m not letting you compromise for the sake of courtesy or respecting the chain of command. The mission’s over- this is rest we’re talking about.”

Piper lifted her eyes and glanced at the bed, an outlandish idea crossing her mind as she counted the pillows and measured its overall space. _Don’t. Piper, I swear to the heavens above, don’t._ “It’s a double bed,” she blurted, standing up from her place and hurriedly making her way over to the opposite end before grabbing one of the pillows, deliberating and second-guessing her thoughts at that moment. Her face was burning, and the tips of her ears felt like they'd been set on fire. _This is a bad idea. I shouldn’t bring this up._ “We can share the bed-”

“ _What?_ ”

_You fucking idiot, this is unacceptable!_

“Just hear me out for a second!” The room was spinning, and her heart was pounding. The gnawing sensation returned, and she felt nauseous like she was plunging from the edge of a really steep cliff. _Shut up. Shut up. Shut up._ “It’s a double bed,” she muttered, lowering her head, red-faced. “There’s enough room for two people. We can share the bed.”

Perplexed, Levi took a step back and rubbed the back of his neck before staring down at the floorboards, wide-eyed. His brows were knitted together, and his cheeks were growing redder, to the point where it was painfully prominent and downright hilarious. Piper would have been laughing at him and mocking his appearance, had it been a different situation altogether.

Except she too was as red as an apple.

“Share the bed?” he repeated slowly, glancing at her like he had seen a ghost materialize right before his eyes. “Are you sure?”

Piper gritted her teeth as she lifted the pillow and puffed it out, flustered. Her face was burning, and he was still staring at her, and her throat was running dry. She felt like passing out at any given moment. “Look, we- we can use these fucking pillows as makeshift blo- barricades between ourselves,” she sputtered, digging her nails down on her palm as she hurled the pillow at him, which he caught by surprise. “Just get on the bed!” 

“Piper-”

“Just- shit,” she cursed, shamefully placing one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead. “I don’t mind at all, midget. This bed’s too big for just one person. There’s absolutely no need for us to argue over who should take the bed and whatnot.”

Sighing, she reached for the other pillow and planted it on the center of the mattress, dividing the space. “Do you mind sleeping without a pillow?” it was a genuine question from her end, and she felt an odd sense of guilt as she began to peel the blanket from her corner while he moved to the foot of the bed. “It’s fine,” Levi replied, setting down his pillow and completing the border that separated them, yet at the same time not. “I don’t mind.”

“And have your stupid jacket back,” Piper mumbled, taking off the blazer and handing it back to him before sliding underneath the weighted covers and fixating her eyes on the dark ceiling. “There’s a thick-ass blanket over here, I don’t need it anymore.”

There was shuffling and movement from Levi’s end; she felt the left side of the mattress sink down, signaling that he had finally gotten on the bed as well, and that the only things separating them from each other were two flimsy pillows that couldn’t even manage to fully divide the space. The room fell silent and deathly still, and for a while, there was no sign of further movement between the two of them, even though they were both gazing at the ceiling, wide-awake.

The silence was deafening, and her thoughts were surging- she couldn’t bear it any longer. 

“Why are we here?” _Ah yes, here comes the nightly existential crisis._

“Didn’t your parents give you the talk, imp?” his voice was thick and laden with an indecipherable emotion. It penetrated the silence like a dagger, but it was soothing; it made her heart skip.

“No, goddammit. _Why are we here?_ What led up to this?” Piper stressed, tearing her eyes from the ceiling and mustering the strength to look at him. “Never in my entire life would I have pictured spending an entire evening with you, let alone sharing a fucking bed at the end of the day.”

The moonlight that leaked from the window shone directly on his face, and she had noticed for the first time the specks of blue that rested in his steel-colored eyes.

_Suddenly they’re not as grey as I’d thought they’d be._

Those harsh, steely orbs that were so devoid of life and splendor somehow held the stars in the sky and perfectly captured the moonlight in their glassy surfaces. Unmistakably blue, like the surface of a vast lake in the dead of night, and they were alive. _So alive..._

“I can leave if you want-”

“Stay,” _That’s an order_ , she’d wanted to tease as a way of poking fun of his authoritative nature, and breaking tension in the air, only to find herself pleading for his company. “Please.”

“Alright.”

Piper straightened her back and craned her neck to the left to get a better look at him. “I don’t think I’ve had the chance to thank you for everything you’ve done today,” she spoke softly as she brushed her finger against the edge of the pillow and drew idle circles. “I probably wouldn’t have made it out of that party alive if you weren’t here with me.”

The corner of Levi’s mouth lifted faintly, and he gave her a gentle nod. “You should get some rest already,” he responded, shifting his gaze back to the ceiling. She could feel the heat coming from his hand from the edge of the pillow- so close, yet so far- they were mere inches away from hers. She wanted to slip her hand through and feel its enveloping comfort once more. 

Her head was throbbing, and her eyelids felt heavy, but her mind was very much awake. Seconds passed- maybe minutes, and Piper felt the sudden urge to ask the captain one last question before succumbing to slumber.

“Hey, Levi-” she didn’t bother finishing her sentence. His face was relaxed and undisturbed; the lightest snore escaped his slightly parted lips, and his breathing was even, the rise and fall of his chest following a slow, imaginary rhythm as he lay beside her, motionless. 

_He’s already asleep._

“Sweet dreams, midget.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Sleeping Levi is the best Levi, 100%. Seriously, Isayama needs to let the man have some beauty rest every now and then)
> 
> It's really funny because Piper's the type of person to absolutely HATE cliches, but her life at this point is just one big cliche. Anyways, this chapter was wild lmao, and I had so much fun writing it.
> 
> Also, sorry that this chap got delayed by a few days! Currently undergoing finals in uni, and I'm literally drowning in so much plates and presentations. The succeeding chapter might get delayed as well, but I promise to make it up to you guys over the holidays because I've got almost an entire month off before starting the next term. Also, while I'm at it, I just wanted to thank you guys because I just realized that this fic suddenly gained a boatload of reads and kudoses in the past few weeks. We're also almost reaching a thousand reads, like what the fuck, I never pictured this fic going THAT far. Much love to all of you guys, and hello to the new readers as well!! 
> 
> Chapter's partly inspired by these two songs:  
> [Golden- Harry Styles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enuYFtMHgfU)  
> [I Wanna Get Lost With You (Acoustic)- Stereophonics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z4a3BBmWiE)  
> As always, see you guys in the next!


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